Looking Back and Forward

Looking back over 2023

What comes to mind as you think about 2023? I heard all sorts of slogans last year, one of them was '2023 - your year to be free'. I wonder if that happened for people, for you. Did you get freedom somewhere last year? I have discovered that we are unlikely to get something by hoping or luck, rather it is far more about being intentional and determined.

I have so much to be grateful for when I think about 2023, a few highlights come to mind.

• Learning more about prayer and fasting and being so thankful for those who joined me in prayer and fasting.

• Realising that I have many people who love and care about me.

• Finishing six months of treatment and saying 'no' to more recommended treatment because I knew I was healed!

• Spending two months in South Australia with friends and family.

• The road trip back from South Australia with family and the memories we made.

• A month in New Zealand with Mum, friends, family and the Riddells to celebrate the end of treatment.

• Driving around the Mackenzie Basin and being awed by the beauty of NZ again.

• Eating potato chips after 8 months of missing them!

New Resources in 2023

The Cat Surprise

The Cat Surprise is my first children's book and is a collaboration with my 11-year-old granddaughter, Olive. I wrote this (true) story and then Olive set about illustrating the entire book! We had a lot of fun and the graphic work by Kathy from Icon Design in NZ brought the book to publishing standard. It is a delightful story and we have both had encouraging feedback.

The Dumb Lie

Teachers and parents report to me almost weekly the struggles people (young and older) are having when it comes to telling themselves the truth about their intelligence, study skills and ability to learn. So, David Riddell and I have worked on two sets of truth Cards, one for Children an done for Adults to improve study skills. To set people up for study success and flush out the lies that sabotage learning. If the appropriate insights are taken on board, they can be future-changing!

You can order either of these resources from my website.

Looking into 2024

I have just come back from Cooktown and loved spending some time with Endeavour Christian College for training in the My Life Rulz for Schools program. A colleague (thank you so much Jenny) came with me and we felt very welcomed and inspired. Even though it is an ongoing project there is enough completed material to empower staff in all the concepts and to teach children how to identify their stinking thinking and to begin the necessary journey of replacing those thoughts with powerful truth.

Schools and Workshops in Uganda and Zambia

In April I will be back in Uganda to run workshops and training. A friend will be coming with me to assist and bring her own special gifts to the communities we will be visiting. If you are connected to anyone around Kampala then please let them know about the 5 full day workshops from the 15th to 19th of April. All the information and flyers can be found through the links/images below. Once again any donations to assist Ugandan or Zambian Nationals to attend the training would be most welcome and received with gratitude.

My Travel Plans and Availability - Long Service Leave!

Firstly, I sincerely apologise that I won't be taking on new clients until after September this year. I am going to be travelling from February to mid September and crossing time zones and several countries. Because of this (once in a life time trip) my counselling availability won't be fantastic either. I do have several counsellors that I trust and recommend so I pray everyone gets the help and assistance they need this year.

As many of you know I have had over ten years living in my luxury caravan and that has been a wonderful era in my life. The simple debt free life has enabled me to have this trip and to live far more simply and given me extra resources to support people and ministries I have a burden for. It was the end of an era seeing my van drive away with its new owner! When I return I will become less of a 'gypsy' and settle down, back in South-East Queensland.

I hope you will follow me around this year via FaceBook.