For lent one year I made a commitment to write poetry linked to verses in the bible for a ten year period. Began March 2002.

My sister passed away in 2011....and I stopped writing.

After the weekend I took up the pen and was inspired to write the following :

Warrioress

A woman of discipline,

Her sacrifices forgotten, seemingly alone,

And yet she kneels before the storm.

Resolute is her gaze,

Humility and love, her armour,

Courage of the spirit her shield.

A woman of compassion

For a strangers suffering,

The gift of her grace settling their heart.

Wisdom is in her voice,

Alongside the strong winds of her devotion,

To commit, obey and serve.

Now is her time to rise.

Proverbs 31 : 25 - 26

"Strength and honour are her clothing;

And she shall rejoice in time to come.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom;

And in her tongue is the law of kindness."

I've just taken 15 minutes in my working day to read Ali's blog post, something I've wanted to do since it arrived in my inbox. I have a tendency to feel the desire to spend time with God and automatically turn it to a should do item. This means something wonderful, peaceful and encouraging quickly becomes something grumpy, pressured and not enjoyable! Why?! It's reading a blog post from a good friend and very encouraging woman of God! I took the invitation to play the song while I read the blog. I have just had a wonderful, moving and peace bringing time in my day. Tears have flowed where they often don't. I feel so peaceful. The relief I feel that God is not cross with me because I've been "too busy" to spend time with me, is palpable and surprising. He is so gentle, so generous and so loving. He just loves it when we turn our faces toward him. I didn't bring Him anything today. I haven't "achieved" anything with that time. But boy do I want to do it again, and not leave it so long until the next time. Thank you x

In a funny sense An African Dream as a charity was never meant to be and yet because of God’s extraordinary capacity to work with the unlikely and make something, I find I have been called along to step out again and again. I was definitely an unlikely candidate for setting up a charity overseas in a small corner of Uganda. It had been my first husband Mark’s dream that originally connected us to that place and he had died leaving me in England with two very small boys. I felt neither excited nor courageous and yet I did and still do love Uganda and its people and I know that God does too. I did desire to play my small part in bringing hope and change through the gospel and so here I am 25 years later still stepping out, as An African Dream expands beyond my wildest dreams, but no doubt in line with God’s great plan. Do join with us in the journey of changing lives through education, vocational equipping and Biblical teaching. So I suppose I would say to anyone don’t rule yourself out of God’s plans – big or small – (in reality there are no small plans in God’s kingdom!) It’s been risky, it’s been crazy, overwhelming and uncertain at times but God has of course never let me down!

I came wondering if I was too old to take on a leadership responsibility. I left emboldened and empowered to take that forward, to step up confidently, to know my authority and to follow God on the adventure.

RISE conference Armed & Dangerous

I do have a voice and that I can, and do, make a difference.

RISE conference Armed & Dangerous

“Oh, my goodness, I've just listened to Katie. It was like hearing my mind being spoken out loud!

She has taken all the thoughts and feelings I've had about being transformed, transformed living, and life with Jesus, and she said everything that I would ever want to express to people. Made me feel I would love to be able to do that.

I love that it’s about the journey and not just the destination.”

Wow after just having some time being still with God, I find just listening to the birds brings me into his presence, I felt God speaking to me about rising up confidently and owning the identity the personality he has given me. Like Leanne I have looked at others and felt ooh should I be a bit more like that, am I being lazy because I’ve never been career minded. Always questions about is it enough Lord just being little me.

After all these years, I realise that’s all I can be is me.

However he has been revealing parts of me and gifts I never knew I had.

I attended your first Rise online conference, and spoke with one of your team and she said about getting out of my safety boat, and from that moment on I've been walking on a new journey towards emotional healing, throwing off the old in every sense of the word, and embracing my coat of many colours just like Joseph.