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Inspiration
Welcome to the Inspiration section of the Activate website. Here we hope to provide you with useful stories, articles, videos, etc., to inspire you and share with you ideas from other Activate readers. Add your articles etc here
Appeal by Pam Rhodes for the Arthur Rank Centre
An appeal by Pam Rhodes on behalf of Arthur Rank Centre will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Thursday 11th March at 15.27.
ARC has supported the rural community and its churches with training, local facilities, housing, and care for the most vulnerable people in rural society for over 35 years.
It is estimated that 900,000 households are living on or below the poverty line in rural areas of England including 700,000 children. The rural community is becoming increasingly isolated due to diminishing local services and the lack of affordable housing.
Not some crazy myth that comforts you
“Well I’ve heard it all before, cranky people at my door
With their pious smiles and frumpy clothes that made my eyes sore
Well they said I must repent, wasn’t quite sure what that meant
But I need someone who will help me with my life,
Someone who can sort out my boss, my debts, my wife.
I need someone who’ll understand what I’m going through
Not some crazy myth that comforts you.”
© Julia Bradley
Over the years, the Activate Your Life team have aimed to include issues in our weekends away that are relevant to today’s woman; issues that many women would express the need for help and support with.
Recently, I came across an article that I feel effectively explains why this is so important.
I wish for you...
I Wish for You...
Comfort on difficult days,
Smiles when sadness intrudes,
Rainbows to follow the clouds,
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Sunsets to warm your heart,
Gentle hugs when spirits sag,
Friendships to brighten your being,
Beauty for your eyes to see,
Confidence for when you doubt,
Faith so that you can believe,
Courage to know yourself,
Patience to accept the truth,
And love to complete your life.
I asked the Lord to bless you,
As I prayed for you today,
To guide you and protect you,
As you go along your way.
His love is always with you,
March Devotional - Palm Sunday
As faithful followers of Christ, we are called to relive the emotional journey on Palm Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem bringing excitement, joy and celebration with His disciples and friends. Joy turns to sorrow, celebration turns to grief as they move towards Jesus’ death culminating in an unbearable tension of emotions.
The Knots Prayer
A brilliant prayer I came across asking God to untie the knots in our lives. It says so much about how we are often the ones holding ourselves back from being all God intends us to be
Dear God,
Please untie the knots
that are in my mind,
my heart and my life.
Remove the have nots,
the can nots and the do nots
that I have in my mind.
Erase the will nots,
may nots, and
might nots that find
a home in my heart.
Release me from the could nots,
would nots and should nots
that obstruct my life.
And most of all, dear God,
I ask that you remove from my mind
Britain's Most Powerful Women
I read with interest an article from my daughter's Glamour magazine (February's edition) referring to a compiled list of the most powerful women in our country relating to six groups 'Fashion & Beauty', 'Entertainment & Media','Sport, Culture & Society', 'Science & Technology', 'Politics' and 'Business & Law'. Information was taken from news archives, music charts, best-seller lists, richlists, factoring in Google hits and column inches. A panel of judges were consulted including Piers Morgan, Amanda Platell, Emma Crosby, Jo Elvin and Marigay McKee.
An Element of Freedom
I've just heard the title track (all 12 seconds of it) from Alicia Keys latest album. I was so struck by it that I've added it to the growing number of quotes in my email signature.
"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight and closed in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom. This is the element of freedom."
That's it. Just 12 seconds of her speaking. But what powerful words!
Fairtrade Fortnight - Get Involved!
When I first started buying Fairtrade products I did it because I knew it was the ethical thing to do and I rarely enjoyed the products - the coffee and chocolate tasted pretty grim! How things have changed in the last ten years! Buying fairly traded goods is a tasty and relatively easy option as more and more shops and manufacturers are going for the big 'FT' badge. I love Divine chocolate bars, I cheered loudly when Cadbury's Dairy Milk joined the club and I have just heard that Ben and Jerry's icecream and KitKats are about to go 100%.
YOU HOLD THE KEY TO THE NEXT ELECTION SO MAKE YOUR CROSS COUNT.
So says 'RED' magazine - and others who suggest that the female vote will be crucial in deciding which party wins the General Election. Yet increasing numbers of us don't know which way to vote. The editor of 'RED' sums it up well when she writes, 'I have never, ever not known how to vote. Until now. Disillusioned by one party, genetically/biologically / idealogically/instinctively opposed to another and not entirely convinced by a third - I thought it was just me, until I asked around.
How to Feel Good Naked
If you were at the conference last November you may have come to the seminar Alison Tinsely and I did on Four Simple Steps to Looking Good
Well the book is out soon!
How to Feel Good Naked comes out on March 19th, published by Lion Hudson. It is a look at the pressure women are under to look good and also an exploration of how much looking good really matters. I take a walk through the worlds of diet, fitness and fashion and ask what works and what doesn't, what's worth the effort and what's not.
