Tag Archives: blogging

Do you Believe you will ever write a Book

Some years ago I was travelling home from America.  My family had send me on a holiday for my birthday.  I was sitting beside a lady who was writing on a small computer.  She was making notes for a book she was writing.  I was returning home to a houseful of children to be reared and there would certainly be no time for writing.  Have you watched the film “Cheaper by the dozen?”  The mother of the children wrote a book!  I wondered if I would ever write a book.  The only writing I was doing was jotting down notes about my daily readings from the bible.  My husband called them “My Rewrites.”  He teased me saying “Are you going to rewrite the bible.”
Ten years on, I was on my way home from Canada to Ireland.  What was I doing?  I was writing notes for my blog.  I would never have dreamed that I would be doing this.  With the quick advancement of technology over these last years one does not have to make reams of notes in books with a pen.  I can do much writing on my i Pad.  One can e mail, send pictures, take pictures, blog, all with the press of a button.  Brendan bought it for me on my last birthday.  As I sit to write, memories come flooding back to me.  The Holy Spirit brings things to mind.
I have resisted writing before.  I resisted thinking back to the past.  I did not have good memories.  I resisted writing letters to anyone because I wanted only to write if I had some good news to tell.  I did not have the peace, confidence or courage before.  God promises he will make a way when there is no way.
 I have resisted anyone loving me.  I have resisted showing love.  I was embarrassed at first when I visited Canada.  Waitresses in the cafes were friendly and smiling.  People talked about having fun.  A husband would call his wife honey.  A wife would call her husband sweetie.  I was embarrassed.  I have never called my husband sweetie in my life.
Maybe the Irish are too numb from pain to express genuine love.  It can be embarrassing to hug someone you don’t know.  We can be sharp to tear someone down with our tongues.  I want to speak kindly and be pleasant to others.  Very often we don’t say anything and retreat into silence because of fear of being rediculled or someone retorting in anger because they don’t agree with your opinion.
There is a saying that goes if you can’t say anything good don’t say anything at all.  Perhaps trust is broken and one cannot be open again.  One puts up the defences to protect ones heart from wounding.
But God has healed my heart and mind of past traumas.  “Perfect love casts out fear.”  I can now look back and remember the good.  A friend has come back into my life this last week.  As we talked she remembered good times when we met together with our children.  More restoration and healing for me.
There is a Psalm that describes how I feel.
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. (Psalm 126:1-6 NIV)

Blurb for book I want to write.

Posted in My thoughts by
My husband and I wrote a book called Staying Alive.  It tells about my journey from being diagnosed with fourth cancer to the head consultant writing me a letter to say he could find no trace of the nine centimetre tumour in my colon. Four years on, I am staying alive and I have produced this book about my family.
Whatever your views have been about having children up to now, this book about our big family will change your ideas forever.
I tell stories about life from day to day in our home, how God interrupted our lives and guided us on a journey we did not choose.  Scripture says I chose you.
Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. (Isaiah 48:10 KJV)
You will laugh, you will cry, you will have renewed hope and courage.  This book will bring healing to you, your marriage and your wider family.  My book tells of restoration of broken relationships by the power of God.  Barriers broken down and unity and love restored in family.
God came into my life and has multiplied me to become a tribe of forty nine.!  I have fourteen children, ten in laws, twenty eight grandchildren, one great grand child and counting.
The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.” (Isaiah 60:22 NIV)

Speaking about The Power of God. Developing your blogging voice.

Posted in My thoughts by
Thanks to wordpress.com and the staff that are at hand to give advice, I have been given a Voice to write to the nations.
As I am just at the beginning of my development, age two years in the blog atmosphere, I can go at my own pace.  I am free to write when I am inspired, whether it is two blogs a day or have a gap of two or three weeks.
I have stories to tell about how God gave me his power to help me in my life;  how my husband and I raised fourteen children to third level education in this age when big families are frowned upon;  how God healed me from fourth stage cancer;  how God continues to bless me and my family as I look to him.
I am a Irish mother and housewife.  We raised our family during the years of Troubles in Northern Ireland and have survived.
I want my voice to tell about the wonders of our God who is real, who created the heavens and the earth, yet is interested in my life and shows me he cares.
I hope my stories will help others to find hope in life in this world and have hope of eternal life.
Angela

Irish Family Pray Together

Posted in Family Friday, Ireland, Prayer by

My son Abraham is twenty today.  He is number thirteen of fourteen children.  It seems no time since he was sitting on my armchair.  I was nursing his younger sister and the next two boys were positioned behind me, perched on the back of the chair wanting to be close to me. We gathered in our living room with the older children and their dad at prayer time before they went off to bed.  By the end of prayers some of the younger ones would have fallen asleep.  All Brendan had to do was carry them up to bed; a sure way of getting active children relaxed enough to sleep.

I had learnt to pray with others.  We simply asked the Father in Jesus name.  I began to pray this way on my own at home.  I took some time when the children were at school or sleeping or even in the middle of the night if I was awake.

My faith grew as I read the scripture for myself.  I believed what the Word said.  I did not think these stories were not to be taken seriously in this the twentieth century when man has advanced technology and medicines.

I would quiet myself, thank and meditate on God, for his goodness, his creation, his care for me and for answers to prayers. I would find a peace that would calm me.

As our family grew, Brendan and I would call everyone together at night to pray.  If God promises to answer our prayer when two or three agree, how much more will he answer when a large family gather together?  Jesus also promises when two or three gather together, he will in the midst of us. Matthew 18 v 20. He comes to us. We may not see him but I believe he is present.

Brendan had to be very patient as each child prayed in their turn from the youngest to the oldest.  One might say simply, “Thank you God for a good day.” or perhaps another’s request would be for a friend at school or relative, or the poor in Africa, or a new pair of shoes?  Our children learnt to be confident to speak to God without fear in front of others and their faith grew as prayers were answered.

Some people think you have to go to Church to pray or children are too young to understand.  No, no, Jesus said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them for such is the Kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 19 v 14.

Just imagine all the angels gathered in our living room as we prayed, one angel for each person.  A little heaven on earth.  In fact Psalm 8 says little children silence the foe and the avenger.  Our enemy is the evil one, Satan.  He cannot attack when children pray.

We are encouraged to have faith like a child.  We adults know too much so our minds hinder us in having simple faith. A child will trust his mum or dad to care for him without asking.  Our trust in our heavenly Father should be similar.

I am not a holier or better person than anyone else. I am just a sinner who knows I have been forgiven by Jesus.  I accept his gifts of healing and faith.­­ You do not have to be good to come to God, you just have to believe he is there.  Some people think they are not worthy to talk to God.  Some people think only men should pray, not women and definitely not children.  Keep them away hidden so the “Holy” ones can pray.

Brendan and I taught our children to pray.  When they grow up they can all upon God for themselves wherever they are and God promises to hear. It is said that a family that prays together stays together.

I am healed because my family and others prayed for me. They had experienced that God answered prayers down through the years.  From small prayers like “Thank you God for a good day” to big prayers like “Help God, heal my Mum from cancer.  Don’t let her die in Jesus name.”  In my hour of need He was faithful and my children knew how to ask God, who they believe heals today.  And He did.

A survey was taken by a Christian Leader from the people who attended his conferences. He asked the fathers “How many of you pray with your children spontaneously.” He found that only 3% of the fathers prayed with their children.
Angela