Shaped for Glory

By Sandra Lunan

Thank you for coming with me on a journey, travelling back in time with me in my life as I recount with immense pleasure all the pieces comprising of formal background, influences, expectations, challenges, and some events as I saw them causing fragmentation. And his remaking, the ultimate reshaping, the pieces or areas in my life with all their main aspects will be seen in fair detail. The special features of life-changing discoveries and some noteworthy events, even though somewhat arduous, I have come to see and regard as pivotal, even precious, in my life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Sep 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546292555

Sandra Lunan

The author was born and bred in a God fearing, Christian home in the 1960’s; She had a strong grandmother presence in her formative years. It therefore came as no surprise that certain things held sway in her young life, such as ‘good behaviour in children,’ singing and music. These were all undoubtedly linked with her grandmother. Some years later, ‘discovering quotes,’ as a teenager, and listening to ‘sermons,’ of what Pastors said, both proved ‘inspiring’ – especially the former. These would serve ‘to raise the bar’ – to aim as high as she could. The seed was sown. With that, the author sought to embark upon a full, comprehensive and meaningful education. A long held, drive, ambition, and mission to uncover and explore what lies behind an individual’s development, learning and decision making, has borne fruit and continues to do so. Alongside collecting quotes, the author enjoys natural approaches to health nutrition and wellbeing. The author lives in Surrey, England, with her husband Michael.

Book preview

Copyright © 2018 Sandra Lunan. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/11/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-9253-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-9254-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-9255-5 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In loving memory of my Grandmother – from whom ‘a love of quotes’ took hold; and continues to this day.

For my parents: ‘Dad, you knew I had ‘something’.’ Mum, your encouragement to ‘give back’ propelled me forward.

Thank You!

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Reasons

Introduction

Chapter 1    Someone Special

Chapter 2    Starting Blocks

Chapter 3    Shaping Influences

Chapter 4    Sound the Message

Chapter 5    Suring Up

Chapter 6    Setting the Pace

Chapter 7    Stumbling Blocks

Chapter 8    The A–Z Mind Clinic

Chapter 9    Serenity and Calm

Chapter 10    Who Would Have Thought?

Chapter 11    Feel the Force

Chapter 12    Sabotage

Chapter 13    Savouring

Chapter 14    Seeing in the Distance

Afterword

About the Author

REASONS

There are many reasons to embark upon and undergo the processes of writing a book.

In the author’s case they were two poignant factors!

Firstly, events surrounding a special person, and the part she unknowingly played in my ‘discovery of special sayings,’ – quotes – which would later play their own significant role, ‘and would not be stilled.’ They needed an outlet.

Secondly, ‘far flung happenings,’ events of long ago, but of an educational vocational nature, that still ‘weighed upon the mind’ and, with such intensity, up until recent times. There was clearly a nod to pay attention to the fact that ‘events of the past can have a bearing on the everyday current state.’ Could this mean that there were matters that still needed to be addressed?

It was a time for the author to once again re -live, re-trace for clarity, affirmation. Discoveries, challenges, are all for the remaking. To make sense of it all, sometimes it is necessary to ‘see,’ ‘voice,’ and ‘learn’ – once and for all - hence this book….!

INTRODUCTION

Let us take a journey into my life in quotes

Thank you for coming with me on a journey, travelling back in time with me as I relive my life story with a purpose. With immense pleasure, I recount all of its facets, which may be referred to as stages comprising its formal background, influences, quests, expectations, challenges, and rather more excitedly, His ‘remaking’. All the parts of my life, with all their main features, will be seen for what they were, in some detail. The iconic account of a life-changing discovery and accompanying noteworthy events, even though they could be regarded as arduous, I would in time come to see and regard as pivotal, even precious, in my life.

We shall unravel throughout the following pages just how these stages, these events, either historical in nature or humanly constructed, actually came about to make me who I am—where certain events, which had been so telling in nature, would not only prove to be functional but also purposeful, as they were set to instil colourful ingrained principles with rich evangelical undertones. They’ve effectually forced me to pay attention, sit up, and listen. Over time, I would come to appreciate them for what they were. These events, which I have so often played out in my mind since, deserve to be relived and are warranted, due to such noteworthy interventions that have produced something wholesome and ardent.

What have been derived are, to say the least, some life lessons learned. It’s time to pass the baton forward and, perhaps, to teach and redefine—with quotes at my side! How did the quotes come into being? You too, reader, will discover them, their wonderful aid and remedial properties, simply offering relief when you are frayed. They were and are indeed prescribed, inscribed, and encased within their own custom-made ‘well-being holdall bag’—possessing firm functionality and purpose.

Most of all we will gain fresh insight to our heavenly Lord and His workings upon the soul. We will also be taking a good view and a snapshot of an important person to me, without whom this book would not have been possible. The quotes have been extremely important not only because of how they were discovered and used, certainly grasped and assimilated, over the years, but also because they have come to hold such a meaningful place for me.

I am confident that you reader, would know what quotes mean within this book’s context. Why will they be included and featuring so prominently? It is pertinent as we go on, this will unravel itself. There have been many well-known sayings, especially inspirational ones that have stood the test of time. We know indeed that quotes usually come from people and books, the most historical and moving of these being from the Bible. There is no other book where we are awash with poignant sayings to instruct, reconstruct, and re-educate ourselves than in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. Quotes, without a doubt, have given me that extra something—a connection; a sense of grounding, and a ‘rise above’ in spite of all that could be thrown at me or that would be actually taking place around me.

It is even more amazing because what we are truly concerned with, and talking about, are ‘words’. Not just any words, mind you, but words that have been meaningfully put together. The impact they can have, and the parts they play to resonate deep within, touch us, and at the same time help with our visions, heighten our awareness, rekindle our values, and reinforce our belief systems, all go some way to actually reform aspects of our lives. Simply amazing! Such are the power of words.

We will explore quotes and the way they can express the everyday yet be profound and distinctive for those ‘high occasions’ while always being productive at the same time. We will see how life’s events and various situations and circumstances, accompanied by its varied challenges, are given perspective and spotlighted through quotes. Without a doubt, through quotes, one can truly encapsulate what one cares about. One only has to read the masters of spiritual and uplifting quotes such as those by Charles Spurgeon and Harriet Beecher Stowe to recapture their essence of values, ideals, the meaning of life, and their sense of ‘truth’, fundamentals that they lived by and swore to, convincingly and in an unflinching manner. I believe that they composed quotes borne out of experiences of challenge or crisis, coupled with what they learnt. They would want others to learn from such experiences! Disraeli, a man of status and renown I believe just took everyday matters, conditions, state of mind and by what he thought and wrote about them made them profound.

My hope for you is that as we go through the contents of this book and recapture those specific phases of my life, with quotes at their side, that hopefully we will see how they can supply and serve a need, an emphasis, a purpose. I hope that whatever your situation or circumstance, if there are some phases (specific events) within the contents of this book that resonate for you too, in some similar way, then its purpose would be twofold—reliving and encapsulating for a God-given purpose. I pray, whether the events are past or present, that you will derive some answers—real satisfaction! This is my sincere desire.

Let us now commence retracing the journey of my life, with all its aspects included.

1.jpg

She lived, Sang, Loved. Helped…

CHAPTER 1

SOMEONE SPECIAL

Whoever goes hunting for what is right and