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Showing posts from September, 2023

Ladies First

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When our bus arrived, I stood back to let this guy, who had been at the bus stop before me, enter first.   He said, "ladies first" and beckoned for me to enter the bus. I sad thank you. Two days ago, I was lamenting to a male work colleague about the lack of chivalry among younger men. It's good to meet a young man who believes in "ladies first." ❤️ Image courtesy of Google Images

The Devil is Definitely Real

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10: 10 --- One very clever manoeuvre that the devil uses on people is he convinces them that he doesn't exist. If the devil wasn't real, Jesus would not have spoken about him as often as he did. In fact, Jesus' purpose on earth was to "destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3: 8) So yes, the devil is definitely real.  The moment I decided I no longer wanted any part of the lie of reincarnation and wanted to know what Jesus meant by "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10: 10), I was drawn into the devil's web of lies. First, he got me to follow lots of false teachings to convince me the devil didn't exist.  When I started questioning why we have to die in the first place, the devil tried to kill me a few times, but I was saved by G

It's All the Same to Me

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 "All the world’s a stage,  And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances." Williams Shakespeare  "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ," 2 Corinthians 5: 20 ---- I belueve whether I'm  working on a film or TV set, for a theatre, museum or corporate event, they're all sets to me. Before we go for a shoot, our agents send us costume briefs and call times i.e. what to wear for the role we're playing and what time to arrive. (I prefer when it's a role where you go for fitting for hair, makeup and costume as it means I don't have to worry about what to wear, I'm simply a mannequin).😊 In the same respect, before I go to any job, the agency I am representing sends me a costume brief and my start time. Most of the time, it's all black. Some companies give you uniforms, which they expect you to wear. Speaking of being on set, at the expo I was working at yesterday, I saw a friend I've worked with on se

My Favourite Deodorant

While I was getting dressed for work this morning, I put on some of my favourite deodorant. (Sometimes, I even spray it on my clothes).  I thought it's a shame it's the last one I have. The store I used to get it from is going out of business so I won't be able to get any more of it. Today I was booked at this expo that had hundreds of businesses and clients attending. When I arrived, my supervisor asked if I could type. I said I can touch-type. She told me and a few others that we were going to be on the computers printing out' badges for delegates and visitors. When one particular delegate walked up to me and I asked him for his details. I noticed he was one of the senior executives of the company I had been thinking of this morning. I told him how much I loved their deodorant and how sad I was that they were closing down. I asked if there was any way the business could be saved and he said no. He thanked me for liking their product. It's interesting how there

Theatre Call

"He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him." Psalm 91: 15 ---- I was booked for a double shift at the theatre. During our first work briefing, the manager told me I would be working in the cloakroom with two fellow agency staff. I noticed there was a concert in the next shift called "Mahler's Resurrection" with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, which piqued my interest.  I wished my next shift could be inside the theatre so I could watch the concert. I thought I would probably be allocated a shift in the cloakroom again. The first cloakroom shift was very quiet. At the end of that shift, my manager told us that two of us were going to remain in the cloakroom for the next shift. I was told I would be working on the top floor showing guests to their box seats. After the guests have gone into the theatre, I will be sitting inside. This meant my prayer was answered. Before my next shft in the

Jesus - Name Above All Names

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"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."  Philippians 2: 9-11 ---- Everything in the universe - good, bad or ugly - has a name. Those who study medicine (and eventually become doctors)  have to know all the names of every single part of the human anatomy. Years ago while I was volunteering at this hospital as a patient companion, I noticed there were so many different departments specialising in different diseases. In other words, all these diseases have names. The good news is while there are infinite names - harmless and harmful - God has exalted the name of Jesus above all names in heaven and on earth. In other words, all creation (God-made or man-made) that has a name has to bow down to the name of Jesus.

Possession

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10: 10 ----- I believe there are spirits for every condition, good or bad. For instance, there is a spirit of addiction. When that spirit possesses someone, it makes them addicted to various things like alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, sex etc. There is a spirit of death that makes you feel suicidal and puts thoughts in your head  to kill yourself. The moment there is a crisis and you feel slightly down, you start thinking about killing yourself. It's actually the spirit that is making you think those thoughts. For many years I was possessrd by the spirit of death and I fantasised constantly about suicide. It became so normal that I thought everybody did it until someone told me it wasn't normal to think that way and I should have therapy.  The main reason why I couldn't go through with it was because I cared too m

About Budgeting

I was chatting to my flatmate about the text I received earlier from my bank asking how they can support me during this cost of livng crisis. She said she has also received a similar text from her bank, which she ignored. "They probably want to know how we spend our money and help us budget, not that either of us go on shopping sprees," she said. "We just work to pay rent and bills." "They'll probably suggest that I could save a lot of money if I starved for a few days a week," I said. "That's a very good idea! Fasting is good for you," she said, which had me in stitches. "They might ask me about the cat," she continued. "Maybe, I could save money by giving Zeus away." "Or you could put Zeus to work and make him earn his keep. There are animals that work in the film industry, you know?" I said. No matter how dire the situation, you've got to have a laugh.😀

To Jaywalk or Not to Jaywalk?

At the traffic light, I wondered if I should chance it and walk across. It was then I noticed the car waiting was a young girl taking driving lessons with her instructor. Her eyes appeared huge behind her glasses. I decided not to jaywalk as I didn't want to stress the poor girl further. On second thoughts, maybe I should have jaywalked so she got to experience how real pedestrians behave at traffic lights. 😀

Sympathetic Text

I received a very sympathetic text from my bank about how they are concerned about how the cost of living crisis is affecting their customers and to call if I needed help.  I was thinking, yeah right, scam alert. Out of curiosity, I called my bank and queried the text and they confirmed they did send it. Wow! It's nice to know my bank is so caring. ❤️

Sighing a Document

I believe the ever present Holy Spirit knows everything and is always willing to help. For instance, I received a contract via email. They  asked me to sign and return a copy. As the document didn't have the usual facility that enables you to sign using your finger, I was going to have to print it out, sign it, photograph the signed version and then email a copy.  What a palaver!  I don't even have a printer.  It was then I remembered that I once downloaded an app that enables you to upload and sign and date documents. I looked on my phone and found the app and soon signed and emailed the contract. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for knowing how to do everything. ❤️

About Rejection

"He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” Luke 10: 16 ---- Recently, I was working at this fair in the City. Part of my role was promoting the fair by distributing leaflets about the fair to passersby. Although all the performances and events were free, I received a lot of rejections. Later, a colleague told me she didn't like it when people rejected her. I told her it wasn't personal. You just have to keep going. In this world, we encounter lots of rejections. If you've ever applied for a job, you're bound to experience rejection. I've been rejected lots of times. Although  I didn't like being rejected, I had to accept that I didn't have the experience and attributes they were looking for. As a supporting artist/extra on films, TV and the media, I am constantly rejected for projects I am interested in. At first, I took it personally until I finally realised it wasn't personal. I

Cool Weather

 My hair gel is no longer watery, it finally feels like gel. Thank God for cooler weather! 😊♥️

Invisible Powder

While I was working on a shoot recently, my face was shiny as I was sweating. Before going on set, the makeup lady applied some invisible powder to remove the shine. She also finished it off with an invisible powder spray. I never knew such a thing existed. I was told if you don't want to use foundation, you can use invisible powder on its own and it will give you a matt finish look.  No wonder actresses' skin look flawless on camera! 😊

Open House London

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"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him,and He shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37: 4-5 ---- I used to attend an event called Open House London every year. The event, which took place around the second weekend in September, was an opportunity for lovers of architecture to visit buildings which are not usually open to the public. Tours were organised for visitors to explore various buildings. Six years ago, I applied to become a volunteer for Open House London, but on the day I was really ill and couldn't do it. Since then, I've been receiving constant emails from them inviting me to volunteer for favourite events, but I've not been able to commit to any. This afternoon, my church  hosted an Open House London event for visitors to explore the building, including the dome. My friend told me she was volunteering for the event. She was asked to register visitors entering the buil

Totally Dependent on God

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46: 1 ---- When a few of us noticed a work colleague was looking distressed, we asked her what was wrong. She told us she couldn't find her iPhone. She said she remembered bringing it with  her to the floor we were on. She said she must have left it somewhere. I suggested I could call her phone to see if we could hear it ring, but she didn't respond to that idea. I guess, like me, she had her phone switched off at work. I told her I would help her look for it. When I noticed a security guard walking by, I told him my colleague had misplaced her phone. He suggested that she goes down to reception as someone might have handed it in. I then relayed the message to my colleague, but she was too upset to take it in. She kept saying that she wouldn't be able to get home without her phone.  I knew in that state of mind, she would not be able to find her phone. I know from experience that only when the

Meeting Angels

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"Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure." Psalm 103: 20-21, NKJV --- Over the last two days, I worked at a recruitment festival for students and graduates where they could meet representatives of over 100 companies and attend various business seminars.7 On the day of the festival,  I was at the registration desk and we received thousands of students. I was pleased to register three students called Angel and one student called Gabriel.😊 Thank you, God, for your ministering angels who act on Your Word and follow Your will. ❤️ Photos of the place I was working at which is right opposite my church. 7

Samples

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I was hanging out with a friend who is a music producer. It's always fun chatting to him as he knows a lot about music and what goes on in the music industry.  When he listens to a song, he can spot every single instrument and nuance, which I find fascinating. Because of him, I now listen closely to how songs are produced.  I also like the way he thinks. Yesterday he told me he recently discovered the song "Love's Gonna Get You" (sung by Jocelyn Brown) had parts that had been sampled by other artists that became major hits. He got me to listen to it to see if I could spot them. I did. There was "I've Got the Power" which became a worldwide smash hit for the band, Snap. I also recognised the part sampled in the song "I'm Gonna Get You" released by Bizarre Inc. Other artists have sampled that same song too. It's fascinating stuff! 😊❤️ Here's the link to the Jocelyn Brown song. See if you can spot the samples.

Sleepwalking

"Therefore He says: Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.'" Ephesians 5: 14 ---- The other day, I was assisting at this university graduation ceremony. At one point, I decided to have a  wander to see if I could help any of the guests.  I noticed people staring at me. It was then I realised I had been strolling nonchalantly in front of the area where the graduates were having their photos taken. They were too polite to ask me to move. Later, one of my colleagues told me she had been wondering why I was walking in that direction. I told her I was obviously sleepwalking. 😀

Much Ado about Nothing

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It all started when I noticed my phone wasn't accepting the PIN code to unlock my phone. I knew I hadn't changed it. I texted my nephew, who is a computer wizard, and asked him for help. He suggested that I reset the phone. I then discovered I needed the PIN to reset the phone. I then phoned Samsung for technical advice. The engineer I spoke to asked if I could give him permission to take control of my phone remotely. He suggested that I back up everything on my phone and then reset the phone. In the meantime, my phone was heating up and fast losing charge. Before he could reset my phone, the battery ran out and the phone switched off. After I charged the phone, I realised without the PIN, I couldn't log back in. I needed to call Samsung for help.  That's when I reached out on Facebook to ask for help. I decided to ask a neighbour if I could use her phone to WhatsApp my flatmate to ask if she was coming home early so I could use her phone.  As I couldn't use her pho

Healing a Cramp

Last night I woke up with a cramp in my right calf which is usually extremely painful. I immediately started thinking of Jesus. The pain melted away and my calf was back to normal. Thank you, Jesus! ❤️ ------ "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and  that  every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ  is  Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2: 9-11

11: 11

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Two days ago, while I was shopping at the supermarket, the total amount spent was over £13. After I swiped my loyalty card (which gives you discounts), the amount I had to pay was £11.11, which got my attention. Today while I was typing on my phone, my attention was suddenly drawn to the time and it was 11.11 am. I know 11.11 is a sign for you to wake up from your sleep.  This is what Jesus said about his friend, Lazarus, before he resurrected him after he had been dead for four days: “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” John 11: 11 Lord, please help me stay awake from my spiritual slumber. Amen.❤️ Photo courtesy of Google Images

Just in Case - Part 2

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Yesterday, another work colleague had an unexpected visit from Aunty Flow and asked me if I had any sanitary towels. I gave her my "just in case" sanitary towel that I had in my handbag. I told her I gave one towel to another colleague the day before. I said I always carry one even though I no longer have periods. I'm going to continue to carry a sanitary towel in my handbag, just in case.  Thank you, God, for blessing me so I can be a blessing to others. ❤️ A photo of a "just in case" sanitary towel I carry in my handbag.

Just in Case

Although I haven't had a period in over two years, I always carry a sanitary towel in whichever handbag I am carrying, just in case.  Today, that "just in case" moment happened. Alas, it wasn't for me, but for a work colleague who had an unexpected visit from Aunty Flow.  When I gave her the sanitary towel, she asked me why I was still carrying a sanitary towel if I no longer needed them. I told her it was for that just in case moment. I've just put another sanitary towel in my handbag, just in case. 😊❤️

God is the Only Power

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." John 6: 63, NKJV "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Romans 13: 1, KJV ---- There is a lot of talk these days about how powerful human thoughts are.  Are they really? A while back, I was travelling on the bus and daydreaming. Suddenly, my thoughts were paused and I saw a vision of myself walking down this road, which didn't make any sense. After that, the "pause button" was released and I continued my daydreaming.  A few minutes later, the bus driver announced that he  was making a diversion and advised passengers who wanted to continue on the road ahead to get off at the next stop and walk. I decided to walk. On the way, I realised I was doing exactly what I had seen in my earlier vision. Who was it that paused my thoughts and gave me the vis

A Wonderful Surprise

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"And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9: 6 ---- Early this morning, I heard the Spirit within saying, "I have a wonderful surprise for you!"  I said thank you and gave it no further thought. I had to leave at 5am for a film shoot. I decided to carry some items  I needed for the film shoot in a bag a friend designed for me and gave me as a gift.  While we were waiting to be called on set, I went to get some water from the water dispenser. On the way back, I bumped into a dear friend, who is also a supporting artist/extra. After we hugged, I told her I heard she was working in London last week ago and I would have loved to meet up with her.  I also showed her the bag I was carrying which she gave me as a gift last year. She said the agency only confirmed her booking for this shoot last night. By mid-afternoon, my colleagues and I were told we would not be needed and we're wrapped early but we wi

My Bits and Bobs Store

I heard this store, where I usually buy my bits and bobs, is going into administration and might be closing down all of their stores. While I was in the shopping mall, I checked whether the store was still open. It was and they were offering lors of discounts. As I was walking round the store looking for deals, I started feeling sad.  Here we are scavenging the empty shelves like vultures when hundreds of staff are about to lose their jobs! I started praying for God's blessing on the business and staff. I asked a shop assistant what the latest was with the business. She said they were still waiting to find out. I told her I was praying for them. I then bought some toothpaste and a deodorant; and the prices were definitely not reduced. 😀

The Cashier

While I was queueing up at the checkout of this store, I noticed one cashier looked very serious and  she was not engaging with her customers. She was just going through the motions. I thought she was either tired or unhappy. I noticed another cashier was smiling at every customer she was serving. After I blessed everyone in the store with peace. I thought it would be nice to be served by the serious cashier so I could chat to her. When it was my turn, the next cashier available was the happy one. I had a quick chat with her and I wished her well. After I paid for my items, as I was  going past the sad-looking cashier, I wished her peace. I may not have had the opportunity to speak to that cashier in person, but I spoke to her in spirit.  God bless her and all the staff in that store! ❤️

Graduation Gift

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I have been hosting at this university"s graduation ceremony. A lot of guests give their loved ones flowers as a graduation gift. At one point, my colleague spotted this bouquet of flowers that someone had left on the stairs. The poor flowers were wilting. It was as if they were aware they weren't wanted. By the end of the day, when no one had claimed the flowers, I asked my colleague if she was going to take the flowers home. She insisted that I take them. She said it would make her very happy if I did.  So I did. When I got home, I pruned the stems and put them in a vase. This morning when I woke up, I looked at my friends and saw they had perked up. (See photo below). I believe the love I had given them had brought them back to life. Thank you, God, for giving me these beautiful bouquet of flowers, which I didn't have to earn. ❤️

Art Centre

The first time I was booked at this art centre, I was asked to work in the cloakroom.  I told my colleague that I was disappointed  as I was expecting to work in one of  the theatres. The next day when I arrived at the  art gallery for my shift, my manager told me I would be working in the main theatre as a host. She asked if I could work an hour longer. I said I didnt mind. She said once the audience were seated, I would be allocated a seat where I could watch the show. I actually had a great seat and I could see everything clearly, but I didn't like it.  At the end of the show, my manager asked me  if I enjoyed it. I said it wasn't my cup of tea.  At least I got to work in the theatre. 😊

Sausage Rolls

The other day, a work colleague and I discussed our love of sausage rolls  (pastry not sausage in a bread roll). During my lunch break, I popped into the local supermarket. Even though I wasn't feeling hungry, I decided to get a sausage roll to snack on. While I was paying for it,  I thought of my work colleague. When I saw him later, he told me he had also gone into the same supermarket and had been inspired by our conversation to buy a sausage roll and he was thinking of me. At the end of our shift, our supervisor brought some leftover sausage rolls from the cafe to share with the staff.  I didn't have any as I'd had enough by then. Today, a friend I attend the same  church with brought me a gift. When I saw the packet, I thought  it was either a box of chocolates or some cakes.  No such luck! It turned out to be a Nigerian sausage roll. I used the church microwave to heat it up. The sausage meat was too spicy for me, but I liked the pastry. OK, Lord, I've had eno