My Testimony

I thought I would rudely interrupt this section with sharing my testimony!
I've just got back from a youth leaders conference with the other guys and girls who lead our youth group at Beacon.  It was an AMAZING weekend!  We had a really great time and God really moved.

So it seems appropriate that this week's blog should be a testament to the God who changed my life forever.

I’m a Christian, I committed my life to Jesus at a really young age.  I have no doubts that I knew what I was doing; I had grown up in a Christian family, both sets of my grandparents were Christians and I had attended church since I was born.

I knew that although I had this lifestyle, it didn’t make me a Christian.  I knew that God’s salvation was for those who believed in Him in their own hearts, not from what others might believe.

I knew who Jesus was and that I wanted to follow Him.  I can honestly tell you that it was the best thing I have ever done in my whole life.  I can tell you now that there is no one in the whole world who I love and will ever love more. 

Since I made that commitment, I have grown up knowing God’s hand on my life all the time.  That might sound strange to some of you, as obviously you can’t feel a physical hand on your shoulder all the time, telling you where to go and what to do!  But in His own way, He has been my guide through all the important parts of my life, like moving schools, career choices, where I went to university, and deaths of people I love, lost friendships, tough times, and a huge number of happy times!  He has really guided me and I am learning to listen to Him and hear His voice more.  God is my rock.  I am nothing without Him.  

I’m not someone who’s had a really tough life, but I have faced challenges and difficulties.  But throughout all the change that I have faced, I’ve always had a Rock that has NEVER changed and never will change. 

I believe that Jesus is the Son of God; that He came to earth as a baby, miraculously given to Mary and Joseph to bring up and look after.  I believe that He died, on a cross, as a sacrifice for the sin of the world.  He was PERFECT, one who knew no sin, but died the kind of death I should.  But He didn’t just die; He rose again and now reigns over everything.  Through His death, He made a way for me to come to the Father in confidence, knowing that I can be forgiven for EVERY SINGLE wrong thing I do in my life and when I die, I will live forever in Heaven with Him.  

I am FOREVER forgiven – not just for today, or for what I did last week, but FOREVER.  This is a complete gift of grace.  I can’t earn it; I don’t deserve it and will never, ever be able to repay it.  But I have accepted it and I live knowing the presence of the Holy Spirit, God’s gift to Christians, given to us when He ascended to Heaven. 

Because of His sacrifice, I want to live my life to glorify Him, that others might know who He is through how I live my life.  It’s not always been easy; I have struggled at times but it is not in God’s nature to be unfaithful and He has always been faithful to me.

“Oh that the world might taste and see, the riches of His grace!  The arms of love that compass me would all mankind embrace.”

Charles Wesley

The Purse - Money

My purse is probably the most used item in my bag after my phone.  I'm really fussy when it comes to buying purses – I have to know that I'm going to like it for a long time as I use them until they fall apart!

I'm going to split this section into a few parts as although with a purse you usually spend money, there are loads of things in life that we spend, such as money, time, efforts and even thoughts. 

I’m going to focus on a few areas of spending and post them all as separate posts so that you don’t have to read through them all in one go!  But I’m going to start with the most obvious of all the things you can spend…

Money

Money can be a pretty tricky subject.  Some people have a healthy view of it and hold it very lightly, whereas for some, it is everything. 

One of my favourite artists called Andy Warhol once said:

 “I'd asked around 10 or 15 people for suggestions. Finally one lady friend asked the right question, 'Well, what do you love most?' That's how I started painting money.”

Jane Austen, in the book Mansfield Park, also wrote:

“A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of.”

Makes you question where your happiness is, doesn’t it?

I love the word ‘sale’.  Whenever I walk past a shop I like and see the word ‘sale’ proudly displayed in the window, my heart beat quickens and I’m often drawn inside.  Sometimes I can walk past and be strong!  But I’m being honest here and telling you that more often than not, I find it very hard to ignore it, particularly when it’s HMV or Superdry!

Occasionally I see shopping as a stress relief and it is something I am trying to stop doing.  Some people can’t stand shopping and their worst place to be when they’re stressed is in a shopping centre.  But for me, I find it really relaxing.  I just love looking at the new albums shelf in HMV, browsing the box sets of DVDs, pretty clothes, accessories, bags, shoes and I get a little bit excited about the prospect of finding a bargain.

Materialism is an issue that comes up here which often sounds strong, but is the reality of the world we live in and this kind of situation we face. 

As humans, we have to shop.  We work for our money and God continues to bless us with it so that we are provided with all we need.  But when we take Him out of the equation and replace Him with a love of material possessions or a want to spend money rather than spend time with Him, it can get tricky. 

Materialists love things and use people.  We are used by shops all the time.  We are known as consumers and everyone wants us.  ‘Sale’ signs are meant to be bright and eye-catching, to draw us in and give them our money. 

As much as we think our money is ours, it’s not.  Everything on Earth belongs to God.  Psalm 24:1 says –

“The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein.”

Everything on Earth is His.  EVERYTHING.  Please don’t get me wrong here.  I am NOT saying that shopping is wrong and that you shouldn’t spend your money on nice things.  If I was, I would be the biggest hypocrite in the world and you should stop reading this blog right now!  This is something I find difficult and am still learning to deal with in the right way, and God calls us to enjoy life!  But He DOES call us to be sensible and use our money wisely.

Everything we have is a gift from Him.  He provides everything.  While I was reading around this subject I came across a quote from a man called Andrew Murray and he said:

“How different our standard is from Christ’s.  We ask how much a man gives.  Christ asks how much He keeps.”

If you want to hear more about using money wisely then I’m happy to try and answer questions or even write about that another time!

Ultimately, all of this world will disappear.  This is why Jesus advises us not to store up treasures here, but to make our treasure Him:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21

This verse can really help us to think about whether or not we need to shop or spend money on things we don’t need.  The thought process that now has to go through my head is – “Do I need anything from that store?”  Usually, my answer is no.  On a practical note, this is a good question to ask yourself! 

Luke 12:15 says:

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

In this world we live in, we can very quickly get caught up in wanting to look like someone else and wishing we could afford what our friends can.  But the reality is that we are individuals, just as God has created us to be and He has given us an inheritance in Heaven already that is so much more valuable than anything here on earth!

One day, all of this world will disappear. 

God will NEVER disappear.

I’ve posted a link to a song that helps me understand this whole subject a little bit better and would recommend a listen if you have time!

Matt Redman - Breathing The Breath

The Bag

What girl does not own a bag?!   

Some bags are bought as bargains, some given as presents and some bought as treats such as mine which I bought in New York! 

But forgetting about the practical stuff, who carries around all the things you need daily?  Who or what is valuable to you? 

For me, there are many things and people who are valuable to me.  The things being things that I would like to happen in my future and sometimes even material things like my phone and jewellery.  But I know that ultimately, all these things are going to disappear, as this earth isn’t our eternal destination.  I won’t be able to keep them, and as much joy as they bring me while I’m here, I hold them all loosely.  

There are many things that I carry around in my bag which I need all the time, such as my phone, my purse and my keys.  If we were looking at it in a different way, there are many things I carry around with me daily in my head and my heart that I know I DON’T need to carry with me.  For example, my bag has a habit of storing hair clips, bands and receipts!  But in my head and my heart, there are things that I want for my future that I worry about, people in my present that I worry about.  In many of these situations we can more often than not be powerless as God has a plan for our lives that surpasses anything else we can ever imagine –

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11

We can be sure that these plans that God has for us are better than any plans we want because He knows us better than we know ourselves -

“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.”
Psalm 139:16

I also know I don’t need to carry these things around because when you’re a Christian and you have accepted Jesus as your Saviour, He calls us to give our worries to Him for Him to look after and sort out!

“Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-29

In case you didn’t know what a yoke is, it’s a device that is basically used to join two oxen together to help them work better.  So in this sense, Jesus calls us to take on His yoke, where He will do all the hard work and the heavy lifting and we get to walk alongside Him and learn from Him. 

But how do we do this?  I think it’s very easy for people to tell us “Don’t worry about it, God has it all planned out and it’s in His hands!” which yes, is totally 100% true!  I have heard this countless times.  Jesus tells us this Himself in Matthew 6:25-34.  This passage is REALLY worth a read – it’s a good one to read and then pray about afterwards, so I’ll let you read this one in your own time.

If I’m honest, I often struggle to let go and leave things with Him as I feel there is always something else I should be doing.  There is, in a sense – when Jesus asks us to carry His yoke, it would be unfair for one ox to do all the work and the other to do nothing.  How I interpret the instruction is that I need to do my best alongside Him.  I need to wait on Him for guidance, support, love and care and when I make myself open to receive those things, I will be guided in the right way and able to do my best through Him who strengthens me –

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Phillippians 4:13

But He also calls us to listen to His voice and TRUST Him with our worries:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

It’s easier to trust God when we know what He has done for us and who He is to us.  He knows us SO much better than we know ourselves.  Thank goodness!!  You just have to read the rest of Psalm 139 to see how well He knows us.  If all my plans happened the way I wanted them to, then with them would also come disappointment and probably regret.

Our God is AWESOME!  To say that we can trust Him is enough.  We have ABSOLUTELY no reason to worry, about ANYTHING.  Our GOD is our STRENGTH, and His joy gives us that.  Yet I do, all the time. 

If you take one thing away from this today, then let this be it:

“Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 37:4

I can honestly tell you, that when I let go of my thoughts and let God in, things are different. 
I try to do this by putting on a worship album or one of my favourite worship songs and just listening to the words.  The more words I listen to about how amazing God is, the smaller my problems get, and faith rises in me, by knowing that God is SO much greater than anything I worry about.  It puts things in perspective.  And then when I begin to worship Him, my whole attitude changes, I feel lighter and God steps in.  Sometimes it can be hard just to listen, but if you let Him and give Him the opportunity, He will make you feel peaceful and give you joy!

We can delight ourselves in Him by simply knowing His hand on our lives and worshipping Him.  Think positive!  Even if you don’t realise it, He has done so much for you already.  He gave you the strength to get out of bed this morning.  The transport to get to school, college or work.  The people around you who love you.  And that’s just scratching the surface!

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!

Whether you have stumbled across me or responded to an advert somewhere, I welcome you.
I hope you are well and having a nice day! 

It would be rude of me not to introduce myself before you read any further, so hello, I’m Ellen.  I’m 25 years old, teacher to 27 10-11 year olds in East Dulwich, youth leader at Beacon Church, Brixton, sister to 2, niece, daughter, granddaughter, friend and ultimately, follower of Jesus.

I love…
my job, music, gigs, hanging out with friends both out and in, going to the cinema, shopping, driving down the motorway with music so loud I can feel it under my feet, Revive youth group, dancing around the house to Glee, Paramore and the odd bit of Take That, red Vespas, singing loudly while doing housework when no one else is in, laughing at The IT Crowd and Miranda, dressing up, the view from the top of Greenwich Park, Starbucks, playing my guitar (currently quite badly) and many more things and people.  I’m really passionate about church planting; I would like to be involved in many more before I die!  And worldwide mission.  There are many places that haven’t yet heard the gospel and the challenge of being somewhere where I don’t speak their language, purposefully for the glory of God, is incredibly exciting!

Who I’m not…
a woman who has her whole life sorted.  I worry about things, far more than I should, even though some people think I look pretty peaceful and appear happy.  Most of the time I am!  But life comes with difficulties sometimes and I am learning, with God’s help, how to handle those situations.  I’m not married and I’m not a mum, both of which I would like to be, but I know it’s not my time for that yet!  Meanwhile, I’m enjoying being who God has made me to be and trying to live the best I can in this time that He has put me in. 

The reason why I am starting this blog is to follow through with something I feel God has called me to do.  I know that He has called me to be a support to young women and I’m hoping that this can be a little bit of support or inspiration if you need it.  My aim of this blog is that you can just read weekly posts and then have time to think about them. 

I’d love to meet you too!  Please feel free to introduce yourself, I’d love to hear from you!
I have an email address you can write to if you have any questions - theultimatenecessity@gmail.com or you could just comment on the posts!

As I was thinking about starting this up, I was thinking about all the things that interest me and what I could write about.  As usual, my mind drifted to lovely things like clothes, shoes and bags!  But mostly, all the things I carry around with me in my bag.  There are usually so many things in my bag I have to clear it out all the time!  I’m sure I am not the only person that this happens to…?
So for example, in my bag, if you were brave enough to go through it!  You would find my purse, phone, iPod, mirror, paracetamol, keys, make up, chewing gum and the list goes on.  And as I thought about all these things, questions sparked in my mind relating to lots of things that I carry in my bag.

So my blog posts will mainly consist of these questions that have come up that relate to various things that come oh so naturally to us women.