What’s that you have in your hand...?

I love to give… it’s not my first nor strongest motivational gift. But giving is great and doesn’t have to be a motivational gift to be able to flow from your heart. It’s an attitude towards God and the people around you. It’s an expression of Love…

I haven’t always been a giver – in fact, I have spent majority of my life being very selfish, stingy and greedy… but meeting a need or the desperate cry of someone’s heart gives me great pleasure. I have learned that when I give I am being a good steward – especially when I am instructed to do something out of the ordinary by God. It increases my faith and boosts my joy… I have also seen how God has increased what He gives me… Some of His blessings came my way – not for my pocket – but as the next seed.

There have been so many times that I have given of my last but have never doubted God to meet any of my needs – or wait no… That’s not the truth (AT ALL)… I have spent plenty days and nights wondering where to next… Questioning whether I just did the right thing by giving THAT away... But in the end I had to force my mind to stay on God’s promises and on the 1000’s of testimonies I already have of what He has brought me through.

God works in ways we truly cannot see – when I have been stuck opportunities have popped up for me to sing at an event or SARS decides to reward me with some cash-back… Often times SAMRO pays money into my account for a song or two of mine playing on the radio… and the list is endless.

May I encourage you – perhaps you holding on too tight to a seed that will touch someone’s heart and bring you a greater harvest when you need it most… allow God to grow and develop your faith to a new level. He knows it’s costing you and that sacrifice is worship unto Him.

Remember this – and this is the hardest test of all – once you’ve given – it’s a gift – it’s not your concern what that person does with what you’ve given them – that’s between them and God – and God see’s their good or bad stewardship – don’t allow your heart to get involved in the business that belongs to God… your seed is sown with joy – water it with the LOVE of GOD… and see the AMAZING things that happen – to your faith and to the people around you.

Remember that really ancient but totally legend song by ALVIN SLAUGHTER – THAT’s WHEN? Writing this post reminds me of the words of that song… take a listen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOXtM0maBuk

Janet

Hungry for Love

Whenever we hear about a “testimony” we always think big things, obvious things, life changing things… but today’s testimony is about something very simple – a prayer answered by God.

Years ago I was sitting in my office feeling lonely (it was shortly after my family moved to live in the UK so I was struggling a little) – at that point emotions dictated everything in my life – and I thank God for helping me grow stronger in Him. I was so hungry for God’s love – but didn’t realize that that was what I needed until He was the only one I could turn to…

I reckon that sometimes we are so quick to turn to people instead of God to meet our needs or to be our problem solver – even in the smallest things. Someone makes us angry and the first thing we do is pick up the phone to off-load on a friend… or we cry out, “Lord how am “I” gonna clean up this mess”? But God knows just what to do to make everything work out for our good.

… That particular day I just prayed silently but with sincerity in my heart. “Lord I need your Love so much… I need to know you are still real and still there and that you LOVE me and desire for me to KNOW your love personally, Please wont you organize me some lunch… that will make me feel so loved”…

Not even 5 minutes later I got a call from Kathy saying that she really just had it on my heart to get me some lunch…

My heart just burst and I couldn’t hold back the tears... I was filled with such awe and gratitude – that the God who is so BIG can take care of things so small… just because He loves us… He heard my prayer and met my need right there where I was at…

I am so grateful to God for His Love… and I am so glad that I have that open door to ask him to share it with me in a special way.



Still taken from: The Visual Bible - Matthew - my favourite scene where Jesus becons us to come follow Him :)



I know He’ll do the same for you too!

Motivational Gifts Test

I have always been a fan of finding out more about myself… Perhaps it’s because I started a bit late with that… I had done some research and I found this awesome online test about 2 years ago… Visiting Legacy Bible Training Centre www.legacytc.co.za for their open day on Monday and listening to Pastor Laurel teach on two of my strongest motivational gifts kind of stirred it up in my heart again… So here’s the deal (being a teacher and server) I thought it would be great for you to learn a bit more about yourself…

Here is the link: http://www.gifttest.org/index.html

These were the results from my test… would love to hear from some of you what your test results came to:

Jan xxx

Laverne Coetzee - Never Underestimate Small Beginnings...

Since I was young I've always wanted to get involved in music - in fact, I believe it is in my blood since everyone of my family members can either sing or play an instrument.But growing up we were in the unfortunate position where we did not have money to spend on anything other than the necessities, which also meant no extra-curricular activities. 

I must confess that I never made my need to play the piano vocal (as far as I can remember), so I thought I'd go for the next best thing and join any free classes that were offered at school. So, among the many classes that I joined was the choir, the orchestra and recorder classes. Many people see the recorder as an irritating instrument, I see it as God's first step for my life. On the one hand I was realizing my singing dream by singing in one of Gauteng's top school choirs and on the other hand I was making music by playing instruments (the recorder and the xylophone).

We then ended up moving to Cape Town where I decided not to join the choir, but I continued doing my recorder classes/exams until the end of my primary school. Starting High School all the musical dreams seemed to fade as everything else around me became more important.

Then, in 2007 God drew me into His family when I got saved and in the winter of 2008 I did a song item with my recorder at the church's talent show. That September month I asked my cell leader, also music director and keyboard player, to teach me how to play. Here my recorder skills came in handy as I could read music already. God prepared me for this moment!

By January 2009 I started out in the worship team and after 2 months I was put on the synthesizer and by 2010 I was the keyboard player for one of the 2 music teams.

After not wanting to open my mouth to sing in front of other people or even when I had my keyboard lessons, God gave me the confidence to volunteer to sing when we started our Young Adults Band. The doors were opened and I was now singing in the band which went "live" only 3 weeks ago - although my legs were shaky and I couldn't play properly, I knew that this is where God wanted me to be and to know that He was the one who had opened the door for me to be where I am.

Now, I do know that God isn't finished with me yet - it is just something that you feel inside and I know that He is leading me in a specific direction.

As encouragement - don't give up on the dream that God has put in your heart. It took me 16 years to get to the point where I started playing the keyboard and even longer to start singing for Him again, but it was all worth the wait - it was all in His perfect timing.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

My Beautiful Sister... Ruth

We have some seriously interesting family dynamics, but I love each and every single one of my 7 brothers and sisters... Today is about a very special young lady, one of my dearest sisters who have a very special place in my heart. Ruth. It will be her 14^th Birthday on Monday… I almost cannot believe it… it was just the other day that I was carrying her around the house singing her to sleep or sitting on my bed drawing pictures with her… I am so proud of her - to see how she has grown into a lovely young lady...

She has so many amazing gifts and a beautiful heart that absolutely adores God!

When I was visiting my family in London earlier this year my mom was telling me about how my sister went on a school trip to Spain and how she was singing to the kids on the bus from her song-book filled with all her own compositions… the kids were crying as they were listening to her and had no idea she was so talented. She reminds me so much of me – she loves to write songs that have a message in it about the Love of God… I hope that someday we can write songs together that will touch thousands of hearts around the world!

Here’s a little info on the sweetest and wisest sister… and as you read you may even see a mini-me…

Nickname: Ruthtoothy

Grade: Year 9

Favourite Colour: Purple

Favourite Sweeties: Multizers

Who are your best friends: Eliza, Charlotte and Siobhan

Favourite Programme on TV: Farscape

Favourite Movie: The Proposal

Hobbies: Writing Songs and Writing Stories

Talents: Singing, Acting, Story Writing & Art

Favourite Outfit or Clothing: Shorts and a short sleeve t-shirt

What would you like to become one day: A Professional Singer

Advice for any young girls your age: Keep our heart and mind on God and nothing will go wrong

One thing you think every single person on earth must have: Trust in and Love for God

Here are two links to some of Ruth’s songs that she wrote herself:

http://www.sethjeffery.com/muz/Don'tGo.mp3

(A song she wrote that Hillsong Kids may be doing soon)

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JRHM_LiSFE 

(Singing a song she wrote at her school awards evening)

1 Timothy 4:12 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

Capturing Lightening & Applying Special Effects

I am no genius photographer or anything but I love capturing lightening as most of you would have seen by now… So here is a step by step and a special link to a photo-editing programme you can all download for free…

You’ll need a camera that shoots HD Movies, Quick Time Player (best for pausing on frames) and a programme called: Photoscape (which you can download free here: http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/download.php)

I use a NIKON S8000 – It’s has an HD Movie feature which I totally love to use for stills… Your pictures will come out best with HD quality…

1.       Firstly – you’ll record your movie

2.       After Importing the movie – play it through Quick Time Player… the nice thing about Quick time player is you can toggle frame by frame and stop on the shot you like best.

3.       Hit the Ctrl + Print Screen Button

4.       In photoscape open up – Editor and paste your image… you’ll see that your entire screen has been captured so you will have to “crop” the image.

5.       Once you have cropped the image you may apply filters that will bring out the look you are going for…

        Applying a FILM FILTER:

             Applying VIGNETTE:

Applying ANTIQUE PHOTO FILTER:

Hope you enjoy filming and editing away at your stills :)

Free Piano Crash Course - Lesson 1

Crash-Course Piano – LESSON 1…

I have thought about this one many times before but in having taught piano for 5 years now – I know I am not a professional piano teacher – but if you are looking for instant lessons… check this out…

Important to know where the notes are:

Find Middle C on this keyboard. Every “C” on the keyboard is found in the same position… Just to the left of the two black notes that are together. There are only 7 letters that keep running in alphabetical order right across the key board. – Try and call them out as you play them… An “octave” is from one same letter to the same letter 8 notes up or down eg… C to C…

When you are familiar with their positions we can learn scales…

Scales:

If you know your scales you can learn to form chords… So let’s start here… There are many different scales but we’re going to start off with the easiest one…

THE MAJOR SCALE:

The Major Scale has a specific pattern to it, but before I teach you the pattern take a look at the key board above. We’ll start off with the C Major Scale, so find Middle C… The very next note on the piano is a semi-tone/half note up – that note is C#/Db… If you go back to middle C and then go to “B” from there, you have taken half a tone/step back… To take a whole tone/step forward from C you’d half to add two halves… which means a whole tone forward would put you on “D” and if you want to take a whole step/tone back from “C” you’d end up on A#/Bb. Make sense? Alright, let’s move on…

Here is the pattern for the MAJOR SCALES: You try complete the rest…

MAJOR SCALE	Root / Starting Note	Whole Step/ tone	Whole Step/ tone	Half Step/ semi-tone	Whole Step/ tone	Whole Step/ tone	Whole Step/ tone	Half Step/ semi-tone
C Major	C	D	E	F	G	A	B	C
D Major	D	E	F#	G	A	B	C#	D
E Major	E
F Major	F
G Major	G
A Major	A
B Major	B

These are your basic major scales… Major scales can start on a Bb for example… The same pattern will be used to calculate the Bb MAJOR SCALE as the pattern of steps/tones we used above… If you are keen on mastering those – go for it! J You will need them… Try some starting on G# and Eb to see the pattern remains the same…

Practise your scales by playing them using 3 fingers first: thumb(1), index finger(2) and middle finger(3) and then tucking your thumb under the index finger to play the next note… complete the scale with the rest of your fingers…

eg… C MAJOR SCALE:

The only MAJOR Scale your fingers may be placed differently in the F MAJOR SCALE… There your numbers run to 4:

RH:  1, 2, 3, 4, tuck thumb under 1, 2, 3, 4

Our Next lesson Will Cover working our Major and minor Chords… J

Getting back to Jesus...

Just in this past week I was chatting to a friend of mine while in Toronto. We were just having a conversation about keeping our relationship with God passionate and it came down to one thing in my mind... When you feel like you are million miles away from God and don’t know how to get back to Him, just start thanking Him... Thank Him for everything you can think of... Thank Him for your hands, your sight, your ability to hear music... your health, your family, your job... even the sunrise and sunset.

Psalm 95:2... Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

There is just something about a thankful attitude that lightens even the toughest of seasons...

Thank HIM... thank Him with all your heart... make a list of everything you are thankful for and allow yourself to be reminded how good He truly is. Before you know it, realising His goodness and faithfulness, will transform your approach to life...

Take it to the Lord in Prayer

I have been reading a lot of books lately. Karen Kingsbury Novels to be exact… and there is something that really stood out to me in all these books and it’s that in every matter at hand was taken to God in Prayer.

Prayer is a lot more powerful than we think it is and it is more vital for us to pray than we realize… Although these are novels and not teaching books (which is what I usually read) I realized one thing… talking to God about every concern no matter how big or small is often a way to “off-load” of our cares in a way that stirs our faith... I mean… who can handle our anxieties better than the God who knows us by name – the one who has great plans for our Lives. (Jer 29:11)

I know we all know that we are to take all matters than concern us to God… but in an instant society we look to the people who can give us an answer… It’s easy to forget that prayer is an option when you can just tap on a neighbour’s shoulder…  

Let me encourage you today, that whatever your concerns are, take it sincerely to God who loves you and loves to take care of you… lay everything at His feet and wait for His still small voice to encourage you and lead you… He is the best friend you can have in the midst of a terrible storm. He is faithful and will take care of all your concerns and as you lay those burdens at his feet, allow his peace that passes all understanding to take over.

Philippians 4:6-7

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.