There is an Anchor for our Soul & His
Heart for the World Compels ours to Move
ANCHOR & HEART
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LEGACY LEAVER
Leah Brown
"We love sharing real stories of real people making a real difference in our world.
Leah is one of those people.
She is a #LegacyLeaver"
“He has made everything beautiful in his time” ...Everything in it’s time!!
Just as this scripture states, I believe that everything that happens in my life; every good thing, bad thing, crazy thing, simple thing will happen in God’s great plan for my life. This plan is not just for me but is to be a testimony to others and as each season has a purpose in my life so it will be that my life will glorify God in every way.
But life of course comes with its ups and downs doesn’t it?
When I was just 10 years of age, my Father; protector and role model for my life passed away suddenly from a stroke. At the time of his passing, 7 of the 8 kids (yes all from the same Mum and Dad!) were still at home – the youngest being only 7. So it was then that we would begin living this bumpy ride of grief, sadness, anger, confusion and living with that absence of a Father in our lives. Grief will always confuse me and leaves me asking the questions; why do people have to leave us too soon?
Would a God that loves us so much allow for something like this to happen?
To be honest, although I have been confused at the passing of my Dad I’ve never been angry at God. Maybe this is because I was only 10 when it happened and could not fully come to grasp the how and why. But every bad circumstance can be made in to something beautiful right?
As I am writing this I also think of my family and the lives they are living that bring glory to God. I know as a family we all went through our own grief when Dad had passed and that grief we could not always share with each other.
My Mum is an amazing Godly Woman who continued to bring up 7 kids all by herself. Did she struggle? Yes, of course, but by God’s grace she made it through each day. 15 years have passed since his passing and so much has happened family wise. My Mum is a proud Grandma of her 8 Grandchildren and now she is enjoying her time in London traveling and working + enjoying this season of her life! I am proud of my Mum and all of my family.
My sister also has had a bumpy ride and her life is also one that brings glory to God – including the running of her own Dance company called 'Masterpiece Dance'. Because of what we have been through with the passing of our Dad and all the other ups and downs that happen in life – family is not just a word. You grow to appreciate your family and love them more when you do go through “life” together. One day I will get to journey life with a family of my own which I know will be an exciting season but till then he has me right where I am, in this season!
I am currently on my way to becoming a Primary School Teacher, while I work part time as a School Chaplain. It was through attending Bible College that I got a real passion to work in a school setting. If I could work somewhere where kids spent most of their time, other than at home, then that would definitely have to be in a School. It was then that I got a passion for Chaplaincy and decided (after studying two years at Bible College) to then further study Youth Work for another two years. I didn’t become a Chaplain as quickly as I had hoped and I found myself at a place in my life saying to God “I just don’t think you want me to become a Chaplain!!”
September 2015
But God had other plans...
I remember applying for the school, I’m at now, and not thinking too much of it because I was just about to leave on a Mission trip to Thailand. Soon after applying I freaked because if I didn't get this job I knew I definitely didnt want to be doing the general retail work I was doing at the time. So in Thailand with limited internet I found myself applying at University to study a bachelor of Primary Education! What I didn’t realize was that soon after getting back from Thailand I would get my Dream job at the time AND get accepted into teaching! I deferred teaching to focus on my new job for a year and then in my second year of chaplaincy I decided to begin part time study.
I am currently still on my journey of study while I work as a School Chaplain and although I find myself nearly breaking under the pressure at times of the study load I am enjoying this season I am in. I thank God for where he has got me and I anticipate what is to come in the future! We are all on a journey towards something but not everyone knows where or what that something is.
Where are you heading today in life? Is your life bringing glory to the creator of Heaven and Earth? No matter what you are going through, God sees, He knows and He cares! God knows our beginning from our end – what a crazy concept to grasp!
Back to one of my questions from earlier; would a God that loves us so much allow for something like this to happen? To be honest I cannot answer that question. Sometimes we just always need to know all of the answers (because we are only human) but it’s ok that we don’t. God says in Proverbs 3: 5 – 6 to “Trust in Him with All your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will straighten your path.”
Jesus did not come on Earth to condemn but to love people – his life was beautiful despite the pain he went through on the cross. Our lives can be beautiful too if we would only acknowledge God and see that HE IS GOOD GOD!
No matter what challenges or pain you’ve been through in life know that God has an amazing purpose and destiny for you. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
(Jeremiah 29:11) When God takes hold of your life, life will be different, a good different. Will you still go through challenges, YES of course you will (maybe even more…), but when you do God will be there to carry you through.
Now I challenge you to GO and live a life that is beyond beautiful and represent God through everything you say and do. “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.” -Ecclesiastics 3:1-
I'm Leah
& I am a
#LegacyLeaver