First Night of Ladies Bible Study!

Yesterday evening, we had our first evening of the Ladies Bible Study that I'll be going to!
For the moment we're just with 4 ladies, but this might change :)

We had so much fun!
During the evenings we'll be focusing on the foundations of our faith, and during the weeks at home we'll be studying the Word with regards to women in the Bible!

What stood out to me last night were the benefits of the Word!
Health, Joy, Peace, Success...

All good things that come directly from reading God's Word!

I'm so excited to see what will come out of our little Bible Study Group!

Partners in Prayer

I've noticed how easy it is to be lonely when you've just moved to another city... Even though I know more people here than I did in Leuven or Hasselt, I still don't feel at home.

Last week I've contacted my neighbour and friend Mieke to become prayer partners. We both need prayer and support in our day to day lives, and since we live so close it's easy to get together for an hour and talk&pray for our lives!

Mieke is such a gifted person! She's fun, she's smart, she's enthousiastic... She prays for me because she loves me and not because she gets to know a lot of the dirt in my life :)

Do any of you guys have someone like her?


Don't forget to check out Our Love Story!

Prepare International - Cat weekend

Last weekend we went to a Prepare International weekend! PI is an organisation that wants to train leaders for churches etc, and Jeff and I decided it would be good for our spiritual lives!
We both want to give our lives completely to God so this course is wonderful to get some great tools and teachings on how to handle situations and so on.

The course is spread over 5 weekends per year, during 3 years. This was our third weekend, and it handled "the personal life of a leader". VERY interesting!

But my highlight was a little less "spiritual" and actually a little bit dangerous for me:

These two cats just made my day! And yes, that is a kitten of 3 weeks old!

Excuse the no make-up face, air-dried hair, morning eyes... It was very early and I hadn't had any coffee yet!

I wanted to take them home with me 'cause they were really nobody's, but I'm highly allergic to cats... I may or may not have cried a little and I may or may not have made a scene about going to die when we get married because I won't have an animal to care for...

But it's for the best because cats could kill me too. Yes, I'm that allergic!

Anyways, I thought you guys would like to see that little baby cat too :)
(But I loved the momma cat better... that's what I called her: momma cat!)

Going to bed early

It's the third week of becoming quiet before Christmas.

Courteney writes: 

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

This week's challenge: Pull out your calendar and SCHEDULE a night where you will go to bed very very early. Take your Bible with you to bed and read in bed for at least 5 minutes. Read in Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Jeremiah 23:5, and Isaiah 53. These are prophecies that were fulfilled by the birth and life of Jesus. Get extra blankets for a warm nights rest, pray God gives you deep rest and that no one wakes you. Then turn out the lights and sleep. I pray that when you wake, you face the new day of Christmas stress with extra strength and vigor.

I'm going to have my "early to bed-day" today. I don't have any classes today so I'm really enjoying my time! Just resting and preparing for the messy week that's starting as of tomorrow... I have a big take-home exam which will take 1 week! In that week I also have 2 other exams... It stresses me out completely!!

But today I'm going to bed around 7 or 8 pm! So I can start the week with a fresh mind...

A Bubble Bath/Shower

It's the second week of Courteney's "Peace on Earth" challenge and it will require some thinking for me!

Here's this week's challenge: Take out your calendar and SCHEDULE a night where you will take a warm refreshing bubble bath. Bring your Bible. Read the story of the birth of Jesus in Matthew 1, 2 and Luke 1,2.

I can take out a calender and I can also take my bible and read it... But I don't have a bath! Aaaagh... The life of a student! Haha :) 

I'm not sure how to fix it, maybe I can take a bath when I'm at my fiancé's parents', but I'm not sure if I'll have the time and occasion there... And there's little children running around, along with too many people that could interrupt my peace...

So maybe I'll just take a hot shower! I know, it's not the same, but it's all I have...

 Here's some more tips from Courteney
An awesome bubble bath takes planning so here's what you need:
1. Privacy - all children asleep and the husband aware that you don't want to be interrupted

2. Hot water and loads of Bubbles - preferably ones that smell yummy!
--> I could buy a nice shower gel for this one!

3. Some soft classical music
--> I'll put that on when I'm back in my room and preparing to go to bed

4. A hand towel rolled up as a pillow

5. A cold drink to set beside the tub
--> Change that to a hot cup of tea before bed, mmmm!

6. Your Bible and if you are afraid you'll get it wet - exchange it for a good Christian book or simply quietness - reflecting on your day and talking with God in prayer.

Optional: a lit candle

The reading (and candle) will be done when I'm in bed after my hot shower!

I'm happy to be participating in this challenge, even though I have to be creative about it, hah!

Peace on Earth

When browsing through blogger-land, you can find some very interesting challenges!
One of them is Courtney's new challenge (I love Courtney, she's SO inspiring!!) for December:

 

For today she asks this:

Today: Write at the top of your December calendar page - I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." This will be a reminder every time you look at your calendar and feel anxious about all you have to get done - to pray. God cares for you. Release your worries to him and rest in him.

I took it 1 step further and also included the verse in my daily agenda. I picked the week that's most stressful and inserted a sticky note! (3 exams in 1 week, while still attending classes, not very good...)

 Every week there's a new 'task' (such as: go to bed early, take a bubble bath, ... ) and you have to read a part in the Bible to make sure you're ready for the real meaning of Christmas!