Change; that's what it's all about

Today I found out that LLM Calling has been voted to be a finalist in the Blogging in Brilliance Awards in the category of Change. Now that I'm passed my initial shock and jubilation I thought I'd share why this means so much.

I started blogging here at LLM Calling 3 years ago when I first accepted that I was being called by God to be a minister. My aims at that time were:

- to share my journey through selection, training and formation, if I got that far, and to help people understand what I was doing

- change people's ideas of what a calling was and who could have one

- change my fear by sharing my fear


Since then I have been selected, trained, had a period of initial formation, been licensed as a Lay Minister in the Church of England and started my ministry. I have changed so much through this process and I think that's easy to see through the blog. My aims for the blog have also developed, they now include:

- share the love of God and the joy of being a friend of Jesus

- share how my life has and is changing

- change people's perceptions of Christians, churches and ministers

- change perceptions about Christian mums and breakdown barriers between mums with faiths and those with none

- change the image and discrimination towards people with mental health issues

- make real for people what it means to be depressed, grieving or anxious

- change the worlds' obsession with changing ourselves to fit a set mold

- share the lessons, sermons and crafts I deliver in my ministry so that they are available to anyone who might find them useful

- Empower people to love themselves and help other people

- make my small steps in enacting social change for the better

I can't tell you where God will take me or where LLM Calling will be in another 3 years, but I hope change is at the centre of it. We're in a changing world, changing as we get older; without change we get stuck and that's something I will never be.

I do not expect to win this category, I am listed with blogs which I follow with awe inspired respect, but I am oh so thankful to be a finalist. Please visit the other finalists in the awards; they're all listed at http://www.britmumsblog.com/2012/05/bibs-finalists-2012/

Now all I have to do is change my fear about going to BritMums Live and the Award Ceremony and find the bravery to walk in on my own.