February Delights #3: The Sanctuary

So, delight number 3 is something that is very close to my heart and has been with me for almost 5 years now! 

The Sanctuary is a group that I started in 2009 to bring together women to grow in their faith, receive emotional healing, be empowered to live the life God intended for them and released to impact their communities.

This group has developed into an organisation that hosts brunches, seminars, bible studies and retreats for women.  This year we have really launched out to include new activities and events in our calendar.  This month, we are hosting an online Bible Study called "What are you afraid of?"  which will look at what the Bible says about fear, and how to overcome it to pursue your dreams.  If you would like more details, you can email sanctuaryladies@gmail.com or book your FREE tickets.

We have also have a YouTube channel which has some inspirational teaching videos and is a good place to get up to date information about our events.

The Sanctuary holds a special place in my heart for two main reasons:

1.  It is the first thing that I have started with God without a complete plan and really depending on Him to guide the next step.
2.  God has used it to teach me so much about who He has called me to be.

Although, the month of February didn' t have many Sanctuary events, it was a month of planning and I'm excited about what's coming up!

Join the mailing list by emailing sanctuaryladies@gmail.com to keep up to date with new developments.

Until next time,
Cece xxx

February Delights #2: Rediscovering my passion

 

My second delight has been slowly rediscovering my passion.  I must confess that I had abandoned this passion for a while! But God has been reminding me that I shouldn't completely abandon what I have learnt in my years in the classroom.  Twice in one day, different people told me the same thing in unsolicited conversations and I knew that God was trying to tell me something.  So I've stepped back into the arena of education and I'm beginning to share my thoughts.

I am been inundated by phone calls and emails from teachers who have either read my recent blog posts about leaving teaching, or heard on the grapevine about my recent career move, and want to make a similar change.  So many teachers are leaving the profession, and they are frustrated about what is currently happening to the system and to our young people.

I'm not quite sure where this latest venture will end up but I've dipped my toe in by posting a video on YouTube.  Please have a look and let me know your thoughts!  I am really interested in what you have to say!

Subscribe to my channel if you would like to see what else I have to say about education.

See you tomorrow for my next February delight!

February Delights #1: Discovering God's plan

Welcome back to another set of monthly delights!  February has been short, sweet and very wet in the UK.

My first delight this month has been discovering God's plan.  This month, God has been placing amazing new opportunities into my life and I have been overwhelmed by the new path that is unfolding in front of me.

Proverbs 16:9 says "A man's heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps".  This month I have been seeing this scripture play out in my life.  As someone who believes in setting goals for my life, I have set some goals for this year.  These goals remain valid but I am seeing that God is directing how the goals will be achieved and modifying any plans that don't match His vision for the year.

I have to confess that I am really excited.  Watch this space!  Some of the new things that are coming up, I'll be sharing with you on this blog.

Just want to take the time to remind you that God really is in control in your life (if you allow Him).  If you read back over the last few years on this blog, you will see that life has not been easy at all, and at times it has been downright devastating.  Now I'm truly seeing the value of all that I have been through.

Be encouraged!  God has a plan for you and your life.  It may not be easy but the end picture will be beautiful!

"For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome." 

(Jeremiah 29:11)

January Delights #5: Chai Tea Latte

I'll be keeping this post short and sweet in honour of the delight I am talking about today.  In January, I discovered Chai Tea Latte at Starbucks.  What a delightful drink!  Sweet, spicy, warm and refreshing!  I am totally hooked! 

Of course, I had to investigate to see if I could find a supermarket version that I could make at home and was so happy to discover "Drink Me Spiced Chai Latte" in Sainsbury's.  Rest assured it was quickly purchased and I have been indulging in some serious Chai Tea Latte therapy each evening after a hard day's work!

So that is my final January delight.  I hope you have enjoyed this series.

Let me know if this is something you would like me to continue to doing.  Are you up for February delights?

Leave a comment to let me know and I'll be posting about my new job next so look out for that!

Until next time,
Cece
xxx

January Delights #4: Be Box

My interest in makeup developed throughout 2013 and thanks to YouTube, I've become more confident with wearing makeup and trying new things.  I've even plucked up the guts to post a makeup video on YouTube!  You can check it out here. 

It was inevitable that I would end up subscribing to some beauty boxes.  For those of you who don't know beauty boxes are monthly boxes that contain samples (sometimes full size products) for you try.  Lots of YouTubers seem to try them out with mixed reviews so I decided to have a go.

I subscribed to GlossyBox in November and shortly after signing up, I discovered Be Box which was a new beauty box specifically for women of colour.  I have enjoyed receiving the boxes but decided that January would be my last month, quite simply because I couldn't afford to keep paying for them! 

BUT I have to say that the January Be Box was the best by far!  It arrived on 31 January so it just made it in time to be a January delight, but I suspect that some of the products may become February delights too! 

Apologies for the poor quality photo!

The products in the box are:

•  Sally Hansen Toe Tip File
• The Realness Mango Moisture Mash
• Covergirl Trio Eyeshadow Palette (Dance Party)
• Covergirl Lipstick (Really Red)
• Wet 'n' Wild 3 of a Kind (Number 02)
• Black Radiance Velvet & Glow (Urban Chic)

The last two can be used on lips, cheeks and eyes so I'm intrigued to see how they will work.

Let me know if you'd be interested in seeing a review of the products either on this blog or my YouTube channel.  Comment below to let me know!

Just one more January delight to share tomorrow.  I hope you've subscribed!

Until next time,
Cece
xxx

January Delights #3: Divergent

One of the major delights of this month for me has been having time to read.  I have been carrying around my trusty iPad and using the Kindle app to indulge in some literary entertainment.

This past month, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading "Divergent" by Veronica Roth.  It is the first in a trilogy and if you enjoyed reading the Hunger Games trilogy, you will love this book.  I read it within days and have moved on to the second in the trilogy.  It holds the reader in suspense at just the right times, and there are a few unexpected revelations along the way to keep you guessing.

Loved it!

What have you enjoyed reading in the last month?  Share any recommendations in the comments below.

Any guesses on what delight #4 will be?

Until next time,
Cece
xxx

January Delights #2: Office Lifestyle

From my previous posts, you will know that I have recently started a new job.  This has been a massive change as for the first time in my life I am based in an office.  Plus, it's not just an office but a new set of offices which the local authority only moved into at the end of last year.  Everything is new and shiny! I am now based in a beautiful glass building which I quite like!  But I didn't come here to talk about the architecture of my workplace but rather talk about the new lifestyle.

A new word in my vocabulary is autonomy.  I've heard it before but I am now realising that it's not something I've experienced in my worklife previously.  Being a teacher means that your worklife is highly prescriptive - you are told when to start work, what to teach, how to teach, how to mark, how to plan - there are templates and guidelines for everything!  And whilst, I know that everywhere has rules and regulations, it has been a breath of fresh air to have more control over how I work and how I organise my time.

It is still a novelty for me to spend most of my day interacting with adults, and I have enjoyed not lugging home exercise books to mark. 

Hot desking is the buzz word in my office at the moment - no one has an allocated desk.  You have an allocated zone but not a desk - how trendy! I do giggle however, when I see people set up on the same desk everyday and get upset when someone else gets there before them!  Reminds of the politics of chairs in the staff room at school!  We're all children at heart and resistant to change!

So my second delight for January is office life - I must confess that I'm loving it!  I'll give more detail in my upcoming post on my new job.

Do you work in an office?  Do you love it or hate it?  Let me know in the comments below and subscribe to receive my 3rd January delight tomorrow!

Until next time,
Cece
xx