A baptism gift

Every time I open my bible, which I try to do daily, I see this note:

It’s a message my grandparents gave me along with the bible. They sent this bible to me when I was baptized. We were living in Minnesota at the time, so they couldn’t be there.

They wrapped it up and taped a note to it and sent it over. But I loved it so much, and I wanted to be reminded of who I got it from and see the precious message inside each and every time I open my bible, I glued it in.

For those of you who can’t read Dutch, I shall very kindly translate:

“Congratulations to Naomi with her baptism. May this Bible be a daily reminder of your grandpa and grandma in Belgium who love you very much”

My grandparents don’t believe what I believe. But they support me in believing it and hope my bible is a daily reminder of them. There have been times where it was the only reason I did open my bible.

And even now, although I open it to meet my Father, ?and hear His […]

More like my Father by meeting His Son

Happy to introduce Becky. She has a passion for God , love for people ?and vision for Belgium . She works part-time for the Christian youth organization?BREEZE.be?and studies communication at the university of Leuven.

I would almost start by saying that my story is not really that special. But then I stop. A meeting with Jesus that isn’t special, isn’t that impossible?

Like so many, I was raised in a Christian home. I am so grateful to my parents for the special way in which they gave me clear limits and still allowed me so much freedom. I have never felt boxed up in the little Christian world. The opposite, in fact. It has been the place where I have found myself and now, I see it was not really me but mostly God through me.

I could tell you about dozens of camps, weekends and youth nights that I went too. And undoubtedly, they all helped build me into the person I am right now and the ideas (or theology, if you will) I have right now. On one of those, I raised my hands and prayed the prayer to let Jesus into my […]

Meeting God in the ordinary moments

Linking up with Lisajobaker.com to write for five minutes on the word ‘Ordinary’. No editing or over-thinking.

Go.

I have done my quiet time ever since I can remember. It’s one of my parents’ wonderful gifts to me. It’s a given to have time with God each day.

Because I’ve always done it, though, it is a given. It was a requirement, one of the rules you follow to be a good Christian. And it took me a while to make it my own, instead of doing it just because my parents told me to. I would feel guilty for not hearing God’s voice, for not being inspired every time. That made me a bad Christian.

But you know something wonderful??It didn’t make me a bad Christian. It made quite ?time normal and good and human. It gave me perseverance.

Just like you say ‘in good and in bad days’ in your wedding vows, so it is with God. You keep on meeting Him in moments where you are tired because your baby kept you up all night and in moments where you feel super inspired and energetic. God meets you either way.

I […]

Annelies

Today my cousin tells about her relationship with God. I really really love her because she is super sweet.

And once when I was younger she accomanied us with her flute (google says it’s a cross flute or a german flute) while we sang an offkey song for mother’s day. Reason enough for saying she’s super sweet, not?!

She was my youth leader, and didn’t give me scoldings when I said or looked or did idiotic things because of my no-social-skills-syndrome. Instead, she sent me encouraging emails in my most difficult times and kept her inbox open for me. Therefore when I am a little girl again I shall draw her drawings to hang on her fridge.

x

I’m Annelies, married to a fantastic man and mama of 2 beautiful daughters. Naomi asked me to write something about my daily life with God. I realize now that it is quite a challenge 🙂

God is very clearly present in my life. But to explain this to others is not very easy. It is very interesting to think about this, because it is really my goal to make God’s greatness known to the people around me. […]

Write

I’ve kept on and on diaries for years. I’ve always scribbled on little notepads. But I never realized I really love to write until a year ago. My head is so chaotic, and there’s always so much swirling around in there. Writing it down keeps me sane sometimes.

And then I’m so quick to speak what I think, what I haven’t even thought out yet. Writing is slow and you can edit and proofread and not only spellcheck but also lovecheck, if you take the time.

Writing is therapeutic.

It’s fun and it’s discovering who you are a little more each time.

Writing is recording memories.

Keeping it safe.

To read now or to read later.?If something was said and you weren’t there..you missed it. But if it was written? You’re never to late to read it.

So for the 31 day writing challenge? I’m recording stories. Stories of how Jesus changed lives, and how He continues to do it. I want to write it all down. How God is on the playground and how He’s in America as well. How He can use tragedy to bring His children to His bosom. How He’s loved us from the very moment […]

An illegitimate Christian

I distinctly remember a moment when I was 9, that I decided to follow Jesus.

It was in in the dirty old house where my little sister Loorke was born, the house where I had a goat with which my dear mother-in-law shares a name. Here she is, my sweet little goat.

Afterwards I was sure it must not have been true, it could not have been real, because I still got so mad and impatient and disobedient. I hope I don’t have a child that is too much like me. I was a little, emotional, temperamental fright.

How disappointed I would have been if I would have known I’d still be struggling with that at 24! I figured my sister was a real Christian because she never got so mad?and she was never as naughty as I was. I felt like I could only legitimately call myself a Child of God once I was pretty much perfect. When people asked me when I decided to follow Jesus, especially people I knew, I never mentioned this moment. I was ashamed of the fact that I still failed so?humongously and everybody could see that. All the time.

Now, I do […]

God on the playground

Today Sara tells us how her relationship with God started. Als little girls, we were in Sunday school together. And as slightly bigger girls we were in youth group together after all my families’ wanderings. She is a quiet, fun, dear girl and can really really play the violin! I am so happy she agreed to share her story here! Later on in the 31 days series there will be a second part to her story!

The story of my conversion is quite normal and not at all that spectacular. I didn’t become a Christian from one day to the next with a complete change in my life as a consequence.

I was lucky to be born in a Christian family. From the time I was born?my parents told me about God. They read all the bible stories to my sister and me. We grew up slowly but surely and were used to going to church on?Sunday. I’m very happy that there was never a moment that I didn’t want to go to church anymore. It is God’s grace that kept me on the straight path and that prevented me getting big doubts about His?existence.

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It is great […]