Whatever you need.

Whatever strength you need today, you can be sure God has it for you. He is faithful and there is no circumstance, no test, and no trial that He can't bring you out of. He is the God of the impossible and He makes a way where there is no way. So whatever it is you need strength for today.. you will find it in Him.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;

Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,

And with my song I will praise Him.

I'm praying for you today. :)

nat x

Images - 1, 2, 3.

Time for a surprise.

How wonderful is the feeling of waiting for a surprise? Remember back to a time when someone told you they had a gift for you, or they had planned something for you, or they wanted to take you somewhere and they wouldn't tell you where. How exciting was it!! No matter how old we get we never grow out of that excitement... when someone surprises us we still get that childlike "ooh!!! There's something fun coming my way, I wonder what it is!?!?!"

So let's stir that up shall we! Let's step into this week with this exact attitude. Your story is great this week. Something is planned for you this week. Things are going to shift around, and I declare something wonderful is going to happen in your life, this week! Something better than you could have imagined. :)

No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this,

Never so much as imagined anything quite like it—

What God has arranged for those who love Him!

Get ready. Good things are coming your way!

nat x

Images - 1, 2, 3, 4. 

View from the top.

This, my lovely friends, is a New York brownstone. Ah... so pretty don't you think. Oh so lovely to look at, and most likely even better from the inside. Some of these are apartments, some are houses in their own right, and there they stand lined up neatly in a row gracing some of New York's finest streets. However... as pretty as they are to look at, they just don't compare with this view....

Ah New York. How I love you. There's something about looking from above isn't there? It's breathtaking. And as gorgeous as the street view is, from above you can see the big picture. You can't see any rubbish from up here. You can't hear the traffic from up here. You can't smell the car engines from up here. You're not struggling to walk through the busy midtown crowds up here. Up here it's quiet, you can see clearly, there are no shadows, you see the BIG picture, and it's peaceful. Very peaceful.

Lately I've noticed areas of my life I been viewing from street level. They're just normal everyday things, but they have been trying their very best to distract and vy for my attention. But God has a different perspective. :) Where we are governed by time, finances, health and other things often beyond our control.. God lives outside of time. 

We are SEATED in heavenly places. Not seated on the ground, seated in heaven, next to Jesus. So let us lift our eyes today. As we do this, our circumstances appear smaller and smaller, enabling us to see the BIG picture. Everyday I am stirring myself to see from an eternal perspective, to choose the view from high above rather than the street view. And I tell you what, it's working. :)

Have the best day ever!

nat x

Images - 1, 2, 3, 4.

Joy today!

How gorgeous is this! Every time I glance up at this little face I just smile! Laughing is contagious, did you know that? Try sitting at a cafe opposite two people who are absolutely cracking up, and see if you don't crack a smile. Or CLICK HERE and try not to laugh at this little munchkin. So funny!!!

Seriously though, how good is laughing?!

Apparently kids laugh between 300-400 times a day. It's SOOO good for the soul and.. 
a merry heart does good like medicine!

In His presence there is fullness of JOY. 

So we can relax today, let's just rest in whatever we are doing and enjoy every moment. There is only one Tuesday 23rd of October 2012.. so let's look for opportunities to laugh today! Always remember, where there is joy, there you will find strength.. because the joy of the Lord is your strength!

Have a fab day :)

nat x

PS - any requests for tmrw's blog?

Images - 1, 2, 3, 4.

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Happy Monday everyone :) I am blessed to be doing a writing project at the moment for Spectrum Holidays on Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Saint-Rémy is a beautiful town in Provence, southeastern France, just 20kms from Avignon. I've been very inspired so I thought sharing some of these stunning photos would be a great way to start the week!

Love the 'pop' of the blue door against these pastel pink petals.

On a hot summer's day everyone wants to be near the fountain... :) 

A tunnel of trees..

Floral prettiness against a backdrop of terracotta and ivy..

French Farmhouse living area.. 

Farmhouse kitchen.. (love the bike!)

Not that we need anymore motivation to shop.. but doesn't this just inspire you?!

This is Vick Archer's home in Saint-Rémy. I have been familiar with this area for quite some time now, so I was of course over the moon when I was asked to write about it. Yippee! Today is Monday. The day of fresh starts. It's a new week filled with new opportunities, new roads and new adventures.

But forget all that—

    it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.

¹⁹ 

For I am about to do something new.

    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway through the wilderness.

    I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Have a fab day! :)

nat x

Images - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Keep your eyes on the prize.

Distraction is a frustrating thing isn't it? The definition of distraction is: a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else, to cause someone to turn away from their original focus of attention or interest.

You might be able to relate to this, at times we find we have the best intentions of doing something... then something else comes along and distracts us. The scene goes like this: We're doing something important, we glance at something slightly more appealing, (which may or may not involve fashion or decorating) immediately our eyes widen, our attention has been captured, our head whips around 180 degrees and off we go galavanting a hundred miles an hour in the opposite direction after the "new thing", instead of focusing and FINISHING what we started! Anyone know what I mean?! 

But as fun and appealing as other things might seem to be, sometimes we just need to fix our eyes on what we are going for and keep moving forward.

But one thing I do: 
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead...

...I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God 

has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I have been challenged of late to be aware of the distractions. They come so easily don't they? And they are usually so subtle that we don't even realise we've even been distracted until we're half way down a street we didn't even mean to turn down! I love how this scripture above puts it all in perspective. Everything we do has an effect on eternity. So as we fix our eyes on the unseen prize, we will surely be finishers of what we have begun, achieving an eternal glory that far outweighs everything else. :)

Happy weekend!

nat x

Images - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

A constant in time of change.

There are times in life when the blue sky shining so brightly all around us suddenly changes it's mind and turns to rain, shaking up our plans and often changing everything. For those of us living in Melbourne, we are more than familiar with this crazy phenomenon of "sunny -one-moment-hailing-the-next". SO unpredictable and slightly frustrating!

Just like the weather, things in our life can change in an instant. One moment we're floating through a season of sunshine and rainbows, everything is fabulous.. and the next moment, bam... something happens and we feel like we've been swept off our feet.

In these times of uncertainty, in the midst of circumstances where everything seems to be changing.. we can take a deep breath, knowing there is Someone right there by our side who never changes. Ever.

Fear not, for I am WITH you.
I have called you by your name; You are Mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,

Nor shall the flame scorch you.

³ 

For I am the Lord your God.

² 

So whatever situation you might be facing at the moment, whatever changes that might be rocking your boat..  there is a God who is with you, and He does NOT change. God is with you today and He is mighty to save. Andddddd, today is a great day for your breakthrough!

Happy Monday friends

nat x 

Images - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

5 Minute Vacation :: The Hamptons

I thought today would be a nice day for a little wander through the Hamptons....

Don't you just love this sitting room below?

And imagine relaxing here by this pool with an iced tea and a mag..

Or here..

Then afterwards a spot of shopping..

And back to the house to chill out with your favourite book..As Summer draws nearer, our excitement begins to build. Who got excited as we turned our clocks forward to welcome in an extra hour of daylight like an old friend?! (Meeeee!!) We are in a NEW season now. Let us be thankful for all the great things happening around us, but also remember "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him". The best is yet to come!!

Happy Thursday friends....

nat x

Images - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

You are doing a great job!

I just wanted to let you know that whatever you are doing right now, in whatever season you are in, building whatever you are building right now... you're doing a really great job. :) Really!

Sometimes we get busy without stopping to hear that still small voice cheering us on. So stop. Have a listen. And be encouraged. All of heaven is cheering you on! So don't grow weary in doing good. You are doing awesome.

YOU my friend, are going to have an amazing day. It's your time to reap a great harvest!

Happy Wednesday! :)

nat x

Images - 1, 2, 3, 4.

Limitless.

Usually when we are asking for something, we have an idea of how it might look and the way in which we think it should best come to us. Think of a Christmas list you have written, or being asked what you'd reeeeally like for your birthday? You get a taste of what you'd like to be given and then you kind of keep that thing in the back of your mind. 
(And then if you were anything like me as a little kid, you'd write the list and stick it on your fridge for everyone to see, as well as placing extra copies in front of your parents. Come on.. you've gotta cover all bases right?)

But then, when it came time to receiving, how many times were you absolutely, totally and utterly blown away at how much more you received than you had even asked for?

A few weeks ago, I was praying and asking for wisdom in a certain area of my life, and waiting for direction on how best to move forward. After a few days, I realised I was actually trying to work it out myself. You know those times when you sort of think you might know how God will respond, and it's almost like you begin to predict what He might do?! Anyway, I surrendered it to Him and waited patiently.

Two days ago our faithful God answered me, just as He always does. However in addition to answering my question, he proceded to bless me superabundantly more than I even asked for! That's our God though! He's the God of MORE than enough! He's the God of superabundantly far over and above all we dare ask or think!

You open Your hand

and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

So as we walk into this new season, let us not limit God with our small thinking.... because even our best idea is still only a tiny fraction of what He has in store for us!

Have an awesome day. :)

nat x

Images - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6