Come to me

’What we seek, might be seeking us.’

He whispers, come to me, come to the water and meet me there. I have always looked for you, searched for you, I have always needed to know you, who is God? How do I get to know God? My life flashes before my eyes and with every flash, I am seeking to fill this empty void that lingers inside of my spirit, my heart and my mind. Until I heard you whisper “come to me, come to me.”  I seeked, and all of this time you were seeking me too.

You courted me with all your soul, and with all your power you kept in my ways, you came after me and seeked me and I reveled myself to you. Once you asked if you could comfort me and from that moment you have not let me go.  One day soon near the end you will find rest in me and I will be your joy and in me I will be your strong defense. Wear me like a robe of honor, for I am yours and you are mine.

Ecclesiasticus 6:33 “If you love listening you will learn, if you  lend an ear, wisdom will be yours.”

Have a great weekend. God Bless Always



Written and created by My Mother Rose

Follow

I wanted to write about a hypocrite I know, but what type of person would that make me and what or who do I become when I write about them.  Today we remember St John the Baptist. “A voice cries in the wilderness; prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.”
Throughout these weeks readings, and gospels, God’s message is to ‘Remember,’ ‘Teach,’ ‘Trust,’ ‘Faith,’  ‘Acceptance,’ ‘Love,’ and ‘Truth.’ 

When I was little, in the school holidays we used to go to the shops with my mum, my Nan and two great Aunties, Bee-bee and Aunty Da, and If we went into a shop to look, we would leave Aunty Da or Nanny on the seat, no doubt they would be talking to someone. Sometimes it was someone they knew and other times it would be a complete stranger. Recently, I took my mum to the park with my two children and of course my mum made a friend. Do you know that I believe it to be taught behavior because sometimes I find myself doing it and my children do it too.  So accept your place around God’s table graciously and appreciate who sits next to you. Who knows you might make a friend like my mum did at the park.  Be yourself, remember how special you are. God made you the way you are for a reason and nobody can ever take that away from you.  They might doubt our faith, our gifts but they really do not know the commitment we make to have a relationship and to follow Jesus Christ.
Do you ever feel as though you are preparing a way for someone?  How does it make you feel? Are you jealous because they get all the credit?  It reminds me of a songwriter who writes for a singer, the songwriter isn’t the one with all the glory and attention, no, it’s the singer. 
Do you know what I hate the most and I really dislike it when I see it and know of it happening and especially when I see and hear and know that it happens within Christian circles? It is women who create exclusive inner circles, a click. A woman of God and a woman of any Christian denomination should be Kind, refined, tender, loving, patient, tolerant, good, approachable, compassionate and accepting of themselves and others. I wanted to share this from, Ephesians 4:4-7 there is one body, one spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all. Each one of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. It was said that he would. When he ascended to the height, he captured prisoners, he gave gifts to men.  

Women of Faith and Hope, I pray we can be women who build the body up with our love, our strength, let us be inviting. Let’s help one another and never be afraid to lower ourselves by sitting at the back of the church or to belong on the outside of the circle. May we remember who we follow and may we remember how he loved us to his death, we celebrate, we believe, in his Glory. Amen.  

Written and created by My Mother Rose 

St Augustine

Today is the feast day of St Augustine. Through his mother’s intercession, St Augustine was transfigured by the love and grace of the Holy Spirit. St Augustine’s heart was restless until it found God and then it rested. I love this quote by St Augustine; “To fall in love with God, is the greatest of romances, to see him the greatest adventure, to find him the greatest human achievement.”

A couple of weeks ago, I went to mass after having a couple of weeks off because my family had been sick and my husband was away for work. My heart was restless, that morning I was watching and listening to a man from Hill song on TV, he said “Place your eyes on what you want, then step out.” It was all about steeping out into the unknow, into God's grace. So after Holy Communion they played my favourite ‘Lord I need you.’ The last time I heard this song, I felt the grace of the Holy Spirit, whispering ‘stand up’ and I didn’t but this time the grace of the spirit was so strong, I stood up and I cried and cried. In that moment, I stepped out, I professed that I needed him, every hour I need him. ‘For Jesus you are my hope, stay and my place of rest.’

May we like St Augustine, when our hearts are restless, sit and listen to the whispers of God. On this day I sat and listened to his whisper to me; I am yours and you are mine, you are enough to me and I love you for you are the one and you are ready. Creating this Blog, I took a risk; I stepped out of my comfort zone. I wanted to share my Faith, hopes and dreams and I can’t thank you all enough for your support. May God Bless you all always.

written and created by My Mother Rose 

🙏💙❤️🌻

St Monica

Today is the feast day of St Monica, when I worked at the blue building, which was before and After School Care, every time I would walk past St Monica’s Chapel to and from the carpark, I felt called to go inside. It was really hard for me to go to mass because I wouldn’t finish until 9am and mass would be finished. Now I go on a Thursday and Friday if I can to mass otherwise, I visit of an afternoon before getting my son from school. The blue building isn’t there anymore it is a huge circus tent and lots of fun for the children to learn under and for little siblings to play.

Sometimes, when I am sitting in the Chapel, I think about my dream/vision of a wellness centre for Women or the community, I think about having a beautiful garden outside and a place where a spiritual retreat could take place. St Monica’s Chapel is a beautiful sacred place and St Monica’s presence is always felt when I am praying inside. I can relate to her as a mother, wife and I believe most of us in the Women of Faith and Hope Group feel the same and I want to pray that we keep her example alive and live prayerful lives, may we draw those we love and are closest too us to God and may we remain close even when sadly, they have gone astray. Amen

Written and created by My Mother Rose 🌷🙏💜💚

Special

It is all that is good, everything that is perfect, which is given us from above. James, 1:17

‘Life is God’s gift to you, what you do with your life is your gift to God.’ I like that quote and I like, 1 peter 3:6, Do not dress up for show; doing up your hair, wearing gold bracelets and fine clothes, all this should be inside, in a person’s heart, imperishable, the ornament of a sweet and gentle disposition- this is what is precious in the sight of God. That was how the holy women of the past dressed themselves attractively- they hoped in God and were tender and obedient to their husbands, like Sarah, who was obedient to Abraham, and called him her lord, you are her children, as long as you live good lives and do not give way to fear or worry.

We are all special in our own little quirky kind of way. I was researching why God says we are special and if only I read the bible eleven years ago or eighteen years ago maybe I wouldn’t have brought a new outfit, new shoes, or fancy jewellery to go out in on a Friday or Saturday night. I could have saved a lot of money. In all seriousness though, the first word that came to my mind was tree and I thought a tree. Trees are special too; we can be like a tree. Staying grounded, we connect with our roots, we turn a new leaf, our branches may grow in different directions, yet our roots remain the same and great things take time to grow and another person might enjoy our uniqueness and natural beauty. If I went back eighteen years ago and knew that my life was a gift from God and what I do with my life would be a gift to God, then I wouldn’t of drank rum and coke. I do however, like the thought of dressing up the inside and our sweet, gentle disposition is what is precious in the sight of God.

Written and created by My Mother Rose 

Have a great week God Bless Always 🙏💐🧡

Remember

My stories for you

Matthew 13:10-17

‘Then the disciples went up to him and asked, ‘why do you talk to them in parables, ’Because.’ He replied, the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to you but they are not revealed to them, for anyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough but from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away, the reason. I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding, so in their case this prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled.

                                                “You will listen again, but not understand,

                                                See and see again, but not perceive,

                                                For the heart of this nation has grown coarse,

                                                Their ears are dull of hearing, and they have

                                                Shut their eyes, for fear they should see,

                                                With their eyes, hear with their ears,

                                                Understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed by me.



But happy are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! I tell you solemnly, many prophets and holy men longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear and never heard it.’



The readings and Gospel readings for this week gave me a lot to think about. What was the message? What was I not seeing, hearing or understanding? I prayed and talked to God for knowledge to help me to see, hear and understand. Then I heard, ‘These are my stories for you.’ In our bibles they are called Parables and a Bible Parable is a simple story we use to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson as told by Jesus in the Gospels. We as Christians are entrusted to go forth and speak of a Didactic Parable, which is to educate, to be instructive and informative. We might teach an Evangelical Parable, which is based on scripture and biblical. There is Prophetic Parable, which predicts what will happen through a vision, prophetical and a judicial Parable, which educates, informs us of justice, judgements. Each one of these types of Parables addresses the Kingdom, service, prayer, humility, love of Neighbour, God’s concern for the lost, gratitude of the redeemed, preparedness for Christ’s return, judgement and judgement within the Kingdom.



In the readings and Gospel readings for this week, each one of the types of the Parables is written for us to hear, see and understand. I once asked someone to sit and to listen to my story and they said “One day I will sit and listen to your story,” My hope in that ever happening has gone. If they really wanted to hear and understand my story, they would have made more of an effort.



‘Explore the Kingdom with me, it’s time for an adventure, you never know what is in a book or a story, until you read it. Every morning when you wake up, every night before you go to sleep is a great time to explore the Kingdom.’



I like the reading that ended with the following phrase: “Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.” I actually said this to my son the other day. My children always fight who is going first for the bath/shower, who gets into the car first, which one gets the yoghurt out of the fridge first or who gets a book first before bed. It frustrates me because they are now being competitive. I also like the readings that had the feast of Jesus and his table that he has prepared for us and weddings, wearing white and flowers. I visioned my wedding like I did when I was a little girl, being married In St Margret Mary’s Church in Townsville, than down to the strand for fish and chips. The other night I watched the movie Top End Wedding, I cried so much, I don’t know whether it was the music, the culture, the language but it made me realise our journeys can be self-discoveries of who we truly are and our journeys are our stories and just like the readings and gospels for this week, they all have a beginning, middle and end.



A few questions to ponder over;

What happens in your story?

What are you seeing?

What are you hearing?

What is your understanding?

I might not be anyone important in your eyes but I am always willing to see, hear, and understand your story. Please don't be afraid to share yours. Because hopefully one day we can all sit down together around the table that Jesus has prepared for us.

God Bless Always

 Written and created by My Mother Rose

Go!

Go, do not be afraid to share your story and never allow anyone to make you feel as though your story doesn’t count or matter. If they judge, let them. It just means they are too interested in your story to pay attention to their own personal story. So keep on creating your story and share it. The world waits to listen, to see and to understand.

God Bless Always

Written and created by My Mother Rose

The Good News

Our stories shouldn’t be considered; no one else has ever lived or experienced our stories except for us. Our stories matter and in our lives we turn pages of our stories really fast and some pages really slowly. Stories tell tales of Romance, mystery, suspense and sometimes we are caught off guard to face love, A love that lives in our hearts, a love that we have forever longed for, a love that can be challenging and sometimes we find ourselves saying goodbye because it might not be time for that love to blossom and by saying goodbye or stepping back, we allow Jesus to take the wheel and to control our fate, destiny.

My message from God this week is: ‘Tell your Story!’

When I did Alpha, two years ago, I heard great stories of triumphant, love, determination, courage and I am forever blessed and grateful for hearing those stories.  This week is book week and my children dressed up has characters from a movie.  I thought to myself most of the movie characters, started off has a storybook character. Stories can be told in a narrative, as an anecdote, a tale or a story about history. Every night my children ask for a makeup story and what I tell them, I can’t believe my imagination. They are stories about ninjas, unicorns, dinosaurs, castles and little ponies etc.  But the stories that I do love telling the most and I am not ashamed of is the Good News.

My Bible is falling apart and someone said “Why, don’t you get a new one.” I said “no” My bible is a part of me; I have highlighted lots of verses, parables, which have spoken to my heart and soul. It’s weird; this Bible was meant for me to read and from it, is what I share here on Facebook and on my blog. What you are reading is a part of my story. For example, when you go to the book store and you are looking for a book to read and one book cover stands out more than another in the bookstore and you must have it, so you can go on an adventure, have an experience, go to parts of the world unknown.

Our stories never end and sometimes it feels as though some chapters are longer and some chapters are shorter. Two years have passed and my story has changed. My love, my faith, my hopes and my dreams, have grown and each day I am a little stronger and braver. When I finish the race and know I have carried out the mission the Lord Jesus gave me, was done with God’s grace.  I will finish with Mark 15:16 and he said to them: ‘Go out to the whole world, proclaim the Good News to all creation.’

I hope you all are having a great week. God Bless Always

Written and created by My Mother Rose

Loved

31:3 Jeremiah
The Lord has appeared to him from afar, I have loved you with an everlasting love, so I am constant in my affection for you.

Written and created by My Mother Rose

Have a great week. God Bless Always 🙏🦋💜

Laura's testimony of faith

Thank you Laura, for sharing such a beautiful testimony, God is always working everything out for us, even if we feel it is a slow process. You are blest, we are blest to have you in our lives. We love you so much xxoo

Written by Laura and shared by My Mother Rose

Assumption of Mary

Revelations 12:1‘Now a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown.’

As women, we have to make decisions that can benefit our health or we continue, suffering, hurting, and feeling sick all the time. Recently, I had to make a decision very quickly and when I told my husband, he was shocked that I wasn’t more upset and that I was unconcerned. I suppose my decision was based on the fact that my health is important and the two children I have need a mother who is fit and healthy, somehow I did know that it was a part of God’s plan. When I do see a little baby, I do think “it would have been nice to have another.” I do however have memories of trying to have babies, we had lots of trouble and we decided to go to Melbourne for our first anniversary. When we were in Melbourne, we went to the art gallery and there happened to be an exhibition for Mary the Mother of God and so I went up to every picture in the gallery and prayed, for help to become a mother like her. It was funny, how I knew that I was pregnant with my son and I remember telling all my family and I got to tell my Granddad before he passed away, two weeks after.

Today, we celebrate ‘The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.’ So the belief is that The Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven was that her body and soul was taken into heaven at the end of her earthly life.

I pray that we may be women, who like Mary surrenders to do God’s will, May we be women of God’s desires, gentleness, quietness, hope, faithfulness and fearfulness. May each one of us know that when the time is right, the Lord will make it happen. Let us proclaim the greatness of the Lord, for God our saviour has looked down upon his lowly handmaids and blessed us all. Amen.

Proverbs 31:25 ‘She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.’

written and created by My Mother Rose 

I hope you are all having a great week. God Bless Always

🙏🌹🌷💙

Love affair

Two Sides to Every Story

Jesus might divide the household, but he can also divide a friendship, two hearts that are meant to be one. If you want to use our story as an example of the many hard decisions you had to make. I ask that you don’t forget how I felt. Remember there are always two sides to every story. They might judge me, but they will never know how my heart was made to feel.

 Written by My Mother Rose

Division

Division

‘Build leadership on love, influence and encouragement, then they will come and follow’

Leadership, can be a tricky subject and a hard word to define, we all have a different explanation of what Leadership is and what it means to be a leader. In the Gospel this week it speaks of division and of course the word that came to me after reading it was ‘Leadership.’ I suppose it is true a household can be divided by leadership, a husband and wife who disagree on the children’s education, religion, discipline.  A mother in law and a daughter in law, disagreeing on how the daughter in law is raising her children and her husband, the son is her problem because they are married now. A father might disagree with his daughter and the mother she is. The thoughts that leadership can divide a nation, leadership can separate a congregation. People leave because of leadership, they leave their country, city, town, sporting club, Parish or any other Christian denomination and they might choose to leave their work place.

How can we be a leader for God in this broken world?

I read through and found 1Peter 5:2-6, be the shepherds of the flock of God that is entrusted to you; Watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly. Because God wants it, not for sordid money, but because you are eager to do it. Never be a dictator over any group that is put in your charge, but be an example the whole flock can follow. When the chief shepherd appears, you will be given the crown of unfading glory. To the rest of you I say, do what the elders tell you, and all wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favor the humble. Bow down, then, before the power of God now, and he will raise you up on the appointed day.

To be in Leadership in today’s world, we must try and be inspiring to one another, give guidance, direction, be an influence, motivate. Let us not be women who are the cause of division through disagreements, difference of opinion, alienation, exclusions. Instead let us be women, who are inclusive, listen attentively and be an example for our children and their children. Sometimes, I feel not ready but it’s only fear and I’m not allowing fear to stand in my way especially when you are told, you are too demanding. Maybe the person who has said this. Should stop and think about why I am so demanding. Maybe it’s because I might know better and I can help, to inspire, to give initiative to others to reach that vision.

Since 1996, I have learnt through many courses at school, Tafe, Life Line, Target, before and after school care and being a mum/ wife, that you must know what people want, need and desire and that if you like or love something so will someone else.

So let us pray to be women in leadership who gladly looks upon the flock of God, who helps another in this race to never give up on something they believe in. to push through no matter how hard it gets or how slow they feel the process is. May we be women in leadership who are clothed in strength and dignity, bringing light and unending love to God’s flock.

God Bless Always, have a great week

 written and created by My Mother Rose

Unique

Ephesians 2:10
We are God’s work of art; created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it.

I could never see myself as God’s work of art. All I could see was an ugly girl who had freckles and was overweight. I can still hear today “Have you been sneezing in the milo tin again.” I remember my great Aunty Bee-Bee saying Katie “Have you been sun kissed again.” That made me feel a little better about my freckles and I have to admit I do say it to my children now. It wasn’t until I was twenty five that I realized that my body is a temple and I must take care of it and slowly I am trying to get back to that mindset. After having babies it has been one rollercoaster ride and my energy is up and then it goes way, way, way, down. But what gives me hope is that we are created and knitted together differently. I pray that we can be women who are secure in the unique way God made us. I want my children to grow up and understand that we are made special by God with a unique plan and purpose.

I will always remember the first time someone told me I was beautiful and meant it with the love of his heart because that memory will be with me eternally. ‘It’s ok to be one of a kind that is our God made us. ‘

1 Corinthians 15:10
But by God’s grace that is what I am and the grace that he gave me has not been fruitless. On the contrary, I, or rather the grace of God that is with me, have worked harder than any of the other’s.

Written and created by My Mother Rose 

have a great week. God Bless Always 💟✝️🌷

Her cross

“My eyes are always on the Lord” Psalm 25:15

For too long, he carried her cross, now it is time for her to return the favour. Her decision to serve at the altar comes from knowing the part of the body she is. What you do to her heart, you do to his. So look at the heart of Jesus to know what she is feeling. When she is at the foot of the cross, she sees unspeakable love, strength, courage, her salvation which she receives from him and her mission which is to bring forth the Christ who is present in her.  She heard the call to return and to serve under Christ the head.

“She picks up the cross and fixes her gaze directly in front of her and carries her beloved to the heart of ‘The Body of Christ.’”

I had a dream and someone in my dream said “Katie open your eyes and see.” Maybe my eyes have been closed for a while and finally I can see now better than I used to. I can see God every day, and I can see wonderful things. To know the eyes I see God with are the same eyes with which he sees me.  So I leave us with a prayer

“ Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad and a soul that never loses faith in God” Amen

Written and created by My Mother Rose 

Amarla

“He who wants a rose must respect her thorns.” Unknown author

She found her home in you. She awaits for your coming home to her and creating new life.

She is your Queen, rose and she waits for you, her King to be one in flesh.

She knows of your importance, she sees it every time her eyes close. She knows, hears and sees what is to come and fear is not standing in her way. Long as she waited for your coming home to her and living new lives. Her service is to be the mother to all. After all, you are her King and she is your Queen. She is my special rose that I have chosen for you, her beauty can be overwhelming, I ask that you take special care of her, ‘Love Her.’ Go to her, look into her eyes and see, be one with her, she has let go and is waiting for you, her King to pick the right rose this time.

Written and created by My Mother Rose

women of Light

“Too many sit in darkness clinging to their treasures, waiting with hope for love and light. Too many are alone, scared and lost.”

I pray that we may be women of the light of God. May our lights never switch off, may the lights that lite up our souls and our beauty that is a light in our hearts, help those who sit in darkness, who sit alone, who are scared and feel lost, find their way home.

May our happiness be a constant reminder that in the darkest of times, we must always remember to turn on our lights and shine bright. We must keep on shining beautiful ones, the world needs our light.

While we are being generous and our actions speak of beauty in giving love and hope, what is more beautiful is a woman who glows with the light of the spirit who is confident and courageous because she follows: “The light of the world,” and will always have the light of life.

Be the light for someone, guide them home, never allow someone to sit alone, be their hope.

Sometimes when we lose our way, feel as though we are going in the wrong direction, maybe we have lost our focus on our vision, dream, we can seem to loose our flavour, feel out of sorts or you feel as though you are just going through the motions and doing the same thing and nothing ever is changing. Remember, that you are "The salt of the Earth and the light of the world." What you're temporarily situation is won't be permanent. God always makes it uncomfortable before a breakthrough is about to occur. "To trust God in the light is nothing, but trusting him in the dark that is faith."

Written and created by My Mother Rose

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill top cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14


God bless Always 🧡💛🙏🌼🍂