As most of you know last Year 2005 was a terrible Year for me. But now I can finally say that I can look back over that time and see that I have stepped out of that storm and I am now in a new season!  I am so excited and I feel so alive. I lost all that, as I had started to give up in the situation I was in, rather than turn to God for help.
Let me share with you something that encouraged me.
Many times in life when we hit a difficult situation we just give up. We start to feel sorry for ourselves and we keep on living in the past. We need to learn to let go of the past.
Daniel 1:8-17 8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's rich food, or with the wine which he drank; therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs; 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear lest my lord the king, who appointed your food and your drink, should see that you were in poorer condition than the youths who are of your own age. So you would endanger my head with the king." 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hanani'ah, Mish'a-el, and Azari'ah; 12 "Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's rich food be observed by you, and according to what you see deal with your servants." 14 So he hearkened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's rich food. 16 So the steward took away their rich food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all letters and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
What's your determination in the settings and situation you are in? What's your reason for getting out of bed in the morning? Is our determination a selfish one?
Daniel 1:15-17 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's rich food. 16 So the steward took away their rich food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all letters and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Because these guys were determined to please God in this situation, God blessed them, equipped them for better and greater things.
Determination is the opposite of giving up. Staying in that situation that little bit longer until God pulls us through. When we give up, we start to seperate from God and we turn to the sinful nature.
Galations 5:19-21 19 Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
If we are not determined for God anymore we settle for 2nd best, but the Bible says those that live like this will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.
When things get too difficult in life the natural wants to give up but the supernatural wants to push that much further, it wants to see it through!
1 Cor 9:25 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
Why do we put things so much more higher than God? The Bible says all treasure we store on earth will one day be destroyed. It will never last. We need to store treasure's in Heaven.
If we have determination for the Lord, seeing things through, He will give us our eternal reward in Heaven, that will last forever
God has been speaking to me alot recently on being determined and never giving up. But I know I can only do it with His strength and His help. When you feel you can no longer carry on and you want to give up.....just remember all you have to do is cry out to your Father in Heaven. Even if the only words you can muster at the time is, 'Help me God'. He will hear you and He will pull you through. Our God is an awesome God! Through Him ALL things are possible.
Some of you have been asking about my friend, Sue. I shared her testimony with you in a previous post. I have asked her to send me an e-mail of an update of how she is doing. I didn't want to get anything mixed up. There is so much that has happened to her. As soon as she sends it me I will post it for you all x
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I just got back from a funeral. My good friend, Harrington age 38 yrs died on the 15th August. He had battled with liver cancer. He left behind his Wife and a 11yr old son. The funeral service had a real good turnout of about 150 people and the service was so lovely. He was such a loved man by all. He always had a smile on his face and would be there for anyone who had a need, whether it was finacial or emotional or physical. He was a friend to all. Harrington had such a strong faith in God. You only had to be around him 2mins and if you were feeling down you would be sure to be uplifted. His smile was contagious, you could not be around him and not smile 
He had a HUGE heart for people so much that he would do anything, and I mean ANYTHING for anybody. Even when he was near to the end and was in pain he would go out of his way to encourage someone, help someone. I will miss him so, so much as I know alot of other people will too. The one memory of him that will alwayz stay with me was his smile! The room would light up when he walked into it. Anyone in the same room as him would be drawn to him. 
But we're on our way to recovery! Yay! lol 
