Summer, Success, Other News

Thank you for your comments and kind wishes in my last post. I really do appreciate it, and I pray that God will continue to give us reasons to celebrate good things in our lives. Hubby and I had a barbecue last weekend to celebrate and it was great, with lovely weather, family and good friends, great food and music! Aloted (and her hubby) came and represented blogville, and we had a nice time. I've been in a good mood since last week, I've got so many reasons to smile! The sun is finally out, and I'm enjoying everything that comes with that. I feel alert and energised in the mornings when the sun shines into my window, everyone is wearing nice summer clothes and huge sunglasses outside and I can enjoy cycling everywhere. Plus I'll be leaving my job soon! I'm already counting down the days to when I leave. I can't wait, I'm so looking forward to it. It's like, this has been the slowest six months of my life. I can't wait to start the next chapter.

Speaking of the next chapter, I'm really glad that I don't have to go through this alone, God is with me. Last week I was feeling pressured and terrified at the thought of leaving my job again and not having that security of a monthly pay check that comes along with it. It's daunting to think that every success I will achieve now is entirely up to me. But God has been showing me that I'm not alone, indeed He is with me every step of the way. It doesn't mean that I won't have to knuckle down and work hard when I need to, it doesn't mean that my dreams will come true overnight, but it is an assurance that with God by my side, and my wonderful hubby supporting and encouraging me, and my family and friends (and blog friends!) keeping me going, I can do it! I read somewhere this week that there is a bigger correlation between self-confidence and achievement, than between IQ and achievement. Meaning that the more self-confident you are and the more you believe in yourself, the higher your chances of success! I can just feel my self-confidence going through the roof right now.... lol.

Last week I attended a book reading in London and it was a book written by Halima Bashir and Damien Lewis titled Tears of the Desert. The organisers had claimed that it was one of the very rare memoirs of a woman born and raised in the conflict-torn area of Darfur in Sudan, so my curiosity was piqued. The reading was quite an eye-opener. Prior to this, I'm ashamed to say, I knew very little about the conflict in Darfur. I just read little bits of information in the newspaper and on the TV without really registering what's going on. The book goes into detail about this young woman's life, how she grew up in a small, peaceful and happy village until the conflict started and tore her community apart. After the reading there was an interview with the writers, and there were questions asked for her to explain things on a clearer level. There was also a discussion on how people in the West can help to alleviate the suffering of countless thousands of people, refugees in their own country. At the end of the event, I bought the book and I have just started reading it and it's so powerful, yet full of hope. I would urge anyone who cares about the state of the world we live in to buy the book and educate themselves. And safe to say that I prefer knowledge to ignorance of what's happening in Darfur.

Well I hope the good weather lasts, it makes such a difference. I have some fun plans for the weekend - a high school reunion and a friend's birthday party so I'm looking forward to them. In the meantime, I need to do my blog rounds, so I'll catch you all later!. Hope you enjoy the rest of your week.