In March 2009 I have completely changed my personal diet. I have been reading a lot of books and articles about healthy nutrition for men. I then took what ever sounded suitable for me and adapted it into my personal lifestyle. I’m trying to cook my own meals as often as I can. I’m going for low fat and low sugar and I’m eating a lot of chicken. Some products with “healthy fats� like fish I do eat as well, but in healthy measures.

I have stopped drinking all sorts of sugary fizzy drinks of the like of Coke. During my worst times I sometimes drank 500ml of coke every day of the week. This has now been replaced by a lot of water, some tea, coffee and fruit juices. Some of the fruit juices have almost the same sugar content as Coke, but it is natural fruit sugar and the body seems to react differently to that.

Instead of sweets and chocolate I’m trying to eat a lot more fruit and unsalted nuts. Every weekend however I’m allowed to treat myself and will have an ice cream, cake or some chocolate or biscuits.

I have also changed the way I eat in the evening. I try to eat as early as possible, even though I’m not always able to have my tea (dinner in Wales) early. And then I’m usually not having any carbohydrates in my evening meal. The unwritten rule is: “No carbohydrates after 5 p.m.�. So I would have meat or fish with a lot of vegetables, but no bread, cereals, potatoes, rice or pasta. Again, that is not always possible, especially when the money gets tight at the end of the month.

Besides the difference in nutrition I have also started to exercise more. I’m doing a lot of walking and hit the gym a couple of times. I desperately need to go back to the gym soon, haven’t been for 5 weeks now. But I’m still trying my best to do some fast and long walks.

So far this effort had the following results:

I started at 150 kg or 23.620 stone in March 2009 and the last time I weighted myself I was 128 kg or 20.156 stone and that was the result from July 2009. Recently I found that I had gained 1 kg or 0.157 stone between July and August, but that was down not having moved around enough in July I guess. And I treated myself a little too often in the past month. As soon as I found out about the weight gain I got my act together and I’m trying to keep on losing it.

I don’t believe that all this weight loss is just the result of different eating and exercise. I think it God had His hands in there as well and I praise Him for that. The weight loss journey continues. Watch this space…

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In March this year I decided to stay in Wales until God is going to tell me to go to another place on His beautiful planet earth. The 2 years I wanted to check if living and surviving in Wales was possible weren’t exactly over, but I kind of sensed that it was time to make a decision. I prayed and thought about it for a week and decided to stay on. At the time I was still living in a shared house in Barry town centre. Not the place where I wanted to be. I wanted to live in Gibbonsdown, the place where my church is doing all the social and community work.

Short after my decision to stay on, I started talking to one of the guys from church who was thinking about moving house inside Gibby. We prayed about it and both of us had the impression that it would be good for us to look around for a house for rent and start a new house share in Gibby. Around the end of May we found a house that we wanted to check. The day of the viewing came and even though it was the first one we looked at, we both loved the house from the first time we saw it. Believe it or not, it became the house for our house share. We handed in our notice to our individual landlords and moved at the end of June.

This place is just a little piece of paradise. It is in a quiet cul-de-sac at one end of Gibbonsdown and according to Google Maps we’ve got one of the biggest back gardens in the area. We managed to negioate the rent amount a little lower then the initial request of the landlady. We are both under the impression that this a place where one can just take a deep breath, relax and be oneself. The landlady turned out to be a very friendly lady and her partner is brilliant as well.

I’m glad that I’m back in Gibbonsdown. 18 months was a long waiting time and I didn’t end up getting a council house, even though I was threatened by becoming homeless at least twice. They just didn’t see me as a priority. But I didn’t want to cheat myself into the scheme either.

So I’m back in Gibbonsdown. The first part of the good news. More to come. Watch this space…

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A moving documentary about North Korea. Worth watching!



North Korea from Acts1v8 on Vimeo

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A moving documentary about Christians in China. Worth watching!



The Cross, Jesus in China from Acts1v8 on Vimeo

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The Ambassador - “Gimme Dat!” Official Music Video from Cross Movement Records on Vimeo.

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Matthew 6:19-34 NIV

(19) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

(20) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

(21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

(22) “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.

(23) But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

(24) “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

(25) “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

(26) Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

(27) Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

(28) “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin.

(29) Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these.

(30) If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

(31) So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

(32) For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

(33) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

(34) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

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After I found this peace of treasure on Carl’s blog I couldn’t resist and had to share it with you too.

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A question Bill Johnson was asked in an email. You can find his response on his website and in this videoclip:

Quote from Bill Johnsons Q&A page:

What do you think about Todd Bentley and the Lakeland Revival?

“Todd is a good friend, but more importantly, he is a friend of God. I’ve met very few people in my life who are hungrier for God and will take extended periods of time just to seek Him. God has entrusted him with an extraordinary outpouring for a reason—He can trust him to do whatever He says, regardless of the opinions of others. He is bold—amazingly bold. The miracles are legitimate and increasing. The church of America has asked for a great revival. God wonderfully placed this move in a package that few would have expected, just to see if we’re as hungry as we say we are.”

Recent response to the above answer:”How in God’s name can you endorse Todd Bentley?” This is my response:

Have you spent time with Todd? Do you know him? Have you watched him with his wife? Or have you seen how he treats his kids? Have you spent any time with his staff? Have you been to his ministry? Has he been to yours? Have you laid hands on him and prayed? Has he laid hands on you and prayed? Have you grieved over tragedy together? Have you celebrated victory together? Has he sought your counsel? Has he traveled a great distance just to meet with you privately for advice? Have you ever received his counsel? Have you been in the room when God has showed up on him, and used him in stunning miracles? Have you seen him operate in the word of knowledge or the prophetic? Have you met with his counsel of elders? Have you personally benefited from his gift? Has he benefited from your gift and ministry? Has he ever honored you for who you are in God? Has he partnered with you as a friend? Have you sacrificed for his welfare, or that of his family? Have you sought God with him? Have you ever worshipped the Lord with him?

I didn’t think so. I have. And I’ll continue to support those who I have walked with in life and ministry. He’s my friend. More importantly, God calls him friend. And if you and I were ever friends in that level, and people hated you and turned against you, and started web pages to tear down your ministry, and criticized you to your friends, and wrote against you in Christian magazines, and criticized you on the radio and wrote emails to other conference speakers and authors, I’d still be your friend.

By the way - criticism in the form of a question is not a question. But to respond to your statement, “How in God’s name can you endorse Todd Bentley?” It’s easy. I do it in God’s name.

Bill

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I’ve received a warning, well I have been warned. This warning has led me to a deep repentance. The warning was all about depth in the relationship with God. Time in His glory. To refuel in His presence. Soaking. Call it whatever you want to call it. The label isn’t important. It is all about fellowship with HIM. Do I have that?

Suppose Joshua had given them rest. If he had, God would not have spoken later about another day. So there is still a Sabbath rest for God’s people. God rested from his work. Those who enjoy God’s rest also rest from their work. So let us make every effort to enjoy that rest. Then no one will fall into sin by following the example of those who didn’t obey God.
(Hebrews 4:8-11 NIrV) [italyc mark from author]

“Here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like at that time. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. Five of them were foolish. Five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but didn’t take any olive oil with them. The wise ones took oil in jars along with their lamps. The groom did not come for a long time. So the bridesmaids all grew tired and fell asleep. “At midnight someone cried out, ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready. The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil. Our lamps are going out.’ “‘No,’ they replied. ‘There may not be enough for all of us. Instead, go to those who sell oil. Buy some for yourselves.’ “So they went to buy the oil. But while they were on their way, the groom arrived. The bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the wedding dinner. Then the door was shut. “Later, the other bridesmaids also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. I don’t know you.’ “So keep watch. You do not know the day or the hour that the groom will come.
(Matthew 25:1-13 NIrV)

… I might write more about this. The main reason for this text to be on my blog, is to remind myself. If it encourages other, fine…!

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