"Throw those curtains wide!
One day like this a year'd see me right." - Elbow
So it's been a whole month since I last posted. Life gets pretty busy doesn't it? The lament of every youth and children's worker I imagine. Christmas is almost upon us and it's all Nativity and drama and singing and parties... Love it! But I'm posting today because it's my birthday. 27 today! And what a day. Isn't God good? Blessing after blessing is poured out without limits, even when it's undeserved and beyond what we could have asked for. As Relient K say "the beauty of grace, is that it makes life not fair." How true.
Today started with the opening of presents and finished with a McDonalds - good times. In between there was lunch with a friend (always a blessing) and a trip to a musical. So why am I singing God's praises? Well, a couple of reasons. If you are a York resident you will have noticed that there was a little bit of snow today. Well, a couple of days ago I asked God if He could send me some snow on my birthday. I'll admit I wasn't expecting Him to say yes, but 'yes' He said and there were just the beginnings of snow - I think I was the only one with a smile on my face as I walked through it but I thank God for that small blessing that put a big grin on my face.
The other thing I'm thanking God for is the musical! I went to see Sister Act the Musical in Bradford tonight and though I was expecting to enjoy some good theatre, I was not expecting God to bless me in the midst of it. It was amazing theatre and there were a few voices in the cast that were clearly God-given gifts. One of the songs (the first one Dolores sings with the choir of nuns) is called Raise Your Voice and I was blown away by it! I shed a tear during the part where the sisters layered 'hallelujah' and 'gloria in excelsis deo' and a few Latin lines on top of each other. I'm not sure if all the actresses saw it as worship, but I certainly did. And when Dolores encourages them to sing it loud, and a nun says "I hear what she’s saying – It’s the word of the Lord, why should we whisper it?" I found myself saying Amen slightly involuntarily.
It still surprises me how God can bless us through anything and anyone. Are you always ready to hear God speak? Do you keep your ears, eyes and heart open at all times? Because you really never know when and how God is going to bless you, or speak to you or remind you that He loves you.
Tuesday 6 December 2011
Saturday 5 November 2011
Fall Down On My Knees
Another post with a story from the YWS; a little later than planned, but it's here all the same.
Let me begin at the beginning. A number of weeks ago in church, one of our members had stood up the front and brought a prophecy to us. I can't remember it word for word, but the general gist was that if we will kneel before God, He will bless us. I knew in my heart that God was telling me to kneel; not spiritually or metaphorically, but to literally kneel down on the floor right where I was. I play in the band at church so I was at the front where people would've seen me if I'd suddenly decided to kneel down in response to this prophecy. No-one else was kneeling and I thought I'd look a bit of a wally doing it. So I didn't. Though I knew without a doubt that God was asking me to do it, the moment passed and I instantly regretted my disobedience. You know the feeling, I'm sure? When God's asked you to do something, you don't, and then when you realise what you've done your heart sinks and you start apologising to God over and over...
Well I was busy apologising to God; telling Him I loved Him and I wished I'd just done what He asked. However, God's response was 'I'm going to give you one more chance'. When I asked Him what He meant, He explained it to me: basically, I would get a chance at some point soon to do this. I would know when it was, God would make sure of that, but I had that one more chance to kneel and surrender. God warned me that the next time it wouldn't be as easy; there would be more people and it would be a situation where I would feel even more of a wally. I guess this was only fair, so I told God that I would try to do it next time.
Around 4-6 weeks later I arrived at the Youthwork Summit in Manchester. During the worship time toward the end of the Saturday, Rend Collective played the song 'Hungry'. It's a Vineyard song I think, and the first verse and chorus go like this:
Hungry I come to you
For I know you satisfy
I am empty, but I know
Your love does not run dry
So I wait for you...
I'm falling on my knees,
Offering all of me
Jesus you're all this heart is living for.
Well, if you look carefully at the chorus, you can probably guess where this is going. God informed me that 'this is it'. I knew that my second (and last) chance had arrived. As we sung the chorus the first time I knew that when the chorus came round again I would need to show God my obedience by kneeling; in a room full of 700+ youth workers, with my friends from York stood around me... It was now or never.
Well I did it. I decided that God was worth the embarrassment, and that He wouldn't ask me to do this without good reason, so I knelt down on the floor right where I was. I felt like a wally for the amount of time it took me to get from a standing position, to a kneeling one; and then God's blessing and love hit me like a tsunami. It was a really intimate moment between me and God, so I'm not going to share all the details of what happened between me and Him in those 10 minutes. But I will say that my life has changed since that moment; it was 10 minutes full of love, forgiveness, reconciliation, blessing, healing and God's Spirit poured out onto my life. There is no way I could sum up that time with God, but I know that Jesus was right there with His arms wrapped tight around me and I know that every time I told God I was sorry, His response was 'I love you'.
So, the moral to this story? God does not ask us to obey Him because He wants to exert His power or prove to us just how powerful He is. He already knows just how powerful He is, He doesn't need to prove anything to anyone! God asks us to obey because our obedience puts us in a place of surrender and vulnerability, and when we are in that place God is able to pour out His abundant blessing and demonstrate His love for us in a more intimate way. Obedience to God is allowing yourself to take a big step toward Him; when you do that, God takes the rest of the steps towards you and the meeting that occurs is more precious than you could ever imagine.
What did I learn? It doesn't matter if what God is asking me to do makes me feel a bit like a plonker, because if I'm willing to obey the blessing that awaits me far outweighs the embarrassment I might feel to get there.
Let me begin at the beginning. A number of weeks ago in church, one of our members had stood up the front and brought a prophecy to us. I can't remember it word for word, but the general gist was that if we will kneel before God, He will bless us. I knew in my heart that God was telling me to kneel; not spiritually or metaphorically, but to literally kneel down on the floor right where I was. I play in the band at church so I was at the front where people would've seen me if I'd suddenly decided to kneel down in response to this prophecy. No-one else was kneeling and I thought I'd look a bit of a wally doing it. So I didn't. Though I knew without a doubt that God was asking me to do it, the moment passed and I instantly regretted my disobedience. You know the feeling, I'm sure? When God's asked you to do something, you don't, and then when you realise what you've done your heart sinks and you start apologising to God over and over...
Well I was busy apologising to God; telling Him I loved Him and I wished I'd just done what He asked. However, God's response was 'I'm going to give you one more chance'. When I asked Him what He meant, He explained it to me: basically, I would get a chance at some point soon to do this. I would know when it was, God would make sure of that, but I had that one more chance to kneel and surrender. God warned me that the next time it wouldn't be as easy; there would be more people and it would be a situation where I would feel even more of a wally. I guess this was only fair, so I told God that I would try to do it next time.
Around 4-6 weeks later I arrived at the Youthwork Summit in Manchester. During the worship time toward the end of the Saturday, Rend Collective played the song 'Hungry'. It's a Vineyard song I think, and the first verse and chorus go like this:
Hungry I come to you
For I know you satisfy
I am empty, but I know
Your love does not run dry
So I wait for you...
I'm falling on my knees,
Offering all of me
Jesus you're all this heart is living for.
Well, if you look carefully at the chorus, you can probably guess where this is going. God informed me that 'this is it'. I knew that my second (and last) chance had arrived. As we sung the chorus the first time I knew that when the chorus came round again I would need to show God my obedience by kneeling; in a room full of 700+ youth workers, with my friends from York stood around me... It was now or never.
Well I did it. I decided that God was worth the embarrassment, and that He wouldn't ask me to do this without good reason, so I knelt down on the floor right where I was. I felt like a wally for the amount of time it took me to get from a standing position, to a kneeling one; and then God's blessing and love hit me like a tsunami. It was a really intimate moment between me and God, so I'm not going to share all the details of what happened between me and Him in those 10 minutes. But I will say that my life has changed since that moment; it was 10 minutes full of love, forgiveness, reconciliation, blessing, healing and God's Spirit poured out onto my life. There is no way I could sum up that time with God, but I know that Jesus was right there with His arms wrapped tight around me and I know that every time I told God I was sorry, His response was 'I love you'.
So, the moral to this story? God does not ask us to obey Him because He wants to exert His power or prove to us just how powerful He is. He already knows just how powerful He is, He doesn't need to prove anything to anyone! God asks us to obey because our obedience puts us in a place of surrender and vulnerability, and when we are in that place God is able to pour out His abundant blessing and demonstrate His love for us in a more intimate way. Obedience to God is allowing yourself to take a big step toward Him; when you do that, God takes the rest of the steps towards you and the meeting that occurs is more precious than you could ever imagine.
What did I learn? It doesn't matter if what God is asking me to do makes me feel a bit like a plonker, because if I'm willing to obey the blessing that awaits me far outweighs the embarrassment I might feel to get there.
Tuesday 25 October 2011
It All Comes From Here*
From Friday 21st to Saturday 22nd October, I experienced the second Youthwork Summit (YWS) retreat and conference. I am overflowing with thankfulness for what God has done for me, overwhelmed with gratitude because for the past 48 hours God has not stopped talking to me; He has not stopped holding me, filling me, blessing me, encouraging me and speaking directly into my heart.
There are many things that I could share with you, but there is one story from the 2 days that I want to share here; one that blessed me and spoke to me deeply.
It was on conference day (today). We arrived and were given our goodie bags full of awesome free stuff; in it was a postcard. On the front of the card was the YWS tagline for this year: 'it all comes from here', and on the back was space to write anything that God was saying to us, or whatever had blessed us from the last 2 days. We had been encouraged, a number or times from the stage, to fill it in. Well, after lunch I got out my postcard and considered what I could put on it; I decided that God wanted me to write a poem (hopefully one that would fit on the back of a postcard).
So I sat and thought and considered, and decided to use the tagline and I wrote a short (for me) poem based around the ideas from the 2 days and around youth work as a ministry. I wrote it on the card, put it in one of the bins (that were for the cards, not for rubbish) and thought nothing more of it. I thought maybe it would end up on the website?
At the beginning of the last session, before we went into a time of worship and Mark Yaconelli's final address, they read out a few of the cards. They didn't read mine; 'fine', I thought. I had only put my card in during the last break so I figured they either hadn't had time yet to read it or it was too long to read. It didn't bother or concern me, as the poem could be put on the website and bless people there (I'm beginning to realise that most of my poems are from God to bless others, not just me, so I need to share them). Then we joined hands, put our arms round one another and the room of 700+ youth workers prayed together as a young lady prayed over us.
Martin Saunders (the host and one of the organisers) then explained that the plan had been to take some of the things from the cards, and some of the tweets written through the day, and put them together to make a liturgy for everyone to say together at this point. (I should say - at the beginning of the day he had warned that they weren't event planners or organisers, that they weren't sure what they were doing and that it could all go wrong...) He then said that they hadn't had the time or organisation to do that and were a little worried that it therefore wouldn't happen and they'd have to miss that out. However, he then said that someone had come along in the last break and done the job for them. That "a person in this room" had written a liturgy/poem on their postcard; had answered the need and prayer with an already formed liturgical poem...
My poem was then projected onto the gigantic screen at the front! The entire room full of youth workers stood together and said my poem aloud! I was shaking the whole way through it. Not because I was nervous (I have confidence in the poetic gift God has given me), but because I realised that through my obedience and faithfulness to God's simple request (to write a poem on my postcard) I had not only become an answer to prayer, but that I had blessed an entire mega-church-size room full of youth workers. At the time that God asked me to write it, I was a little frustrated because I really wanted to listen to the speakers (each one only got 5/10 mins and I didn't want to miss one), but I realised that all along God had a particular plan and my obedience led to the fulfillment of it.
I am not sharing this story to glorify myself or boast in anything but God's grace, mercy, generosity and goodness. I am sharing it to show you that through obedience to God we are allowing Him to use us as a part of His grand plan. We may not, at the time of obeying, understand that plan but when it becomes clear to us the blessing is well worth the patience and perseverance. Be a willing servant and who knows what God will lead you into. Who knows who you'll end up blessing through the simple, humble act of saying 'yes' to God...
It All Comes From Here*
It all comes from here.
From an extraordinary God,
capable of ALL things.
From His unfailing love
for ALL that we are.
From a purpose and calling
that He placed on our lives.
From a passion and desire
to change young lives.
We give our time, our energy,
We share our ideas, our lives,
We offer our teaching, our advice.
But we give, we share, we offer
Because we do not love alone,
but with the help of God's heart.
Because we do not stand alone,
but with the strength of God's Spirit.
Because we do not fight alone,
but with the power of God's will.
From a God who loves
all which He has created,
From a God who guides
all who seek His face,
From a God who welcomes
all who come in His name.
It all comes from here.
There are many things that I could share with you, but there is one story from the 2 days that I want to share here; one that blessed me and spoke to me deeply.
It was on conference day (today). We arrived and were given our goodie bags full of awesome free stuff; in it was a postcard. On the front of the card was the YWS tagline for this year: 'it all comes from here', and on the back was space to write anything that God was saying to us, or whatever had blessed us from the last 2 days. We had been encouraged, a number or times from the stage, to fill it in. Well, after lunch I got out my postcard and considered what I could put on it; I decided that God wanted me to write a poem (hopefully one that would fit on the back of a postcard).
So I sat and thought and considered, and decided to use the tagline and I wrote a short (for me) poem based around the ideas from the 2 days and around youth work as a ministry. I wrote it on the card, put it in one of the bins (that were for the cards, not for rubbish) and thought nothing more of it. I thought maybe it would end up on the website?
At the beginning of the last session, before we went into a time of worship and Mark Yaconelli's final address, they read out a few of the cards. They didn't read mine; 'fine', I thought. I had only put my card in during the last break so I figured they either hadn't had time yet to read it or it was too long to read. It didn't bother or concern me, as the poem could be put on the website and bless people there (I'm beginning to realise that most of my poems are from God to bless others, not just me, so I need to share them). Then we joined hands, put our arms round one another and the room of 700+ youth workers prayed together as a young lady prayed over us.
Martin Saunders (the host and one of the organisers) then explained that the plan had been to take some of the things from the cards, and some of the tweets written through the day, and put them together to make a liturgy for everyone to say together at this point. (I should say - at the beginning of the day he had warned that they weren't event planners or organisers, that they weren't sure what they were doing and that it could all go wrong...) He then said that they hadn't had the time or organisation to do that and were a little worried that it therefore wouldn't happen and they'd have to miss that out. However, he then said that someone had come along in the last break and done the job for them. That "a person in this room" had written a liturgy/poem on their postcard; had answered the need and prayer with an already formed liturgical poem...
My poem was then projected onto the gigantic screen at the front! The entire room full of youth workers stood together and said my poem aloud! I was shaking the whole way through it. Not because I was nervous (I have confidence in the poetic gift God has given me), but because I realised that through my obedience and faithfulness to God's simple request (to write a poem on my postcard) I had not only become an answer to prayer, but that I had blessed an entire mega-church-size room full of youth workers. At the time that God asked me to write it, I was a little frustrated because I really wanted to listen to the speakers (each one only got 5/10 mins and I didn't want to miss one), but I realised that all along God had a particular plan and my obedience led to the fulfillment of it.
I am not sharing this story to glorify myself or boast in anything but God's grace, mercy, generosity and goodness. I am sharing it to show you that through obedience to God we are allowing Him to use us as a part of His grand plan. We may not, at the time of obeying, understand that plan but when it becomes clear to us the blessing is well worth the patience and perseverance. Be a willing servant and who knows what God will lead you into. Who knows who you'll end up blessing through the simple, humble act of saying 'yes' to God...
It All Comes From Here*
It all comes from here.
From an extraordinary God,
capable of ALL things.
From His unfailing love
for ALL that we are.
From a purpose and calling
that He placed on our lives.
From a passion and desire
to change young lives.
We give our time, our energy,
We share our ideas, our lives,
We offer our teaching, our advice.
But we give, we share, we offer
Because we do not love alone,
but with the help of God's heart.
Because we do not stand alone,
but with the strength of God's Spirit.
Because we do not fight alone,
but with the power of God's will.
From a God who loves
all which He has created,
From a God who guides
all who seek His face,
From a God who welcomes
all who come in His name.
It all comes from here.
Tuesday 18 October 2011
I'll Be There For You
Today I am being thankful for friends. I am blessed enough to have people who not only love me, but pray for me and care about me. My friends mean the world to me; no-one else believes in me the way they do (other than God) and they have this way of making me smile even if I feel like crying. What a gift!
I sometimes, sadly, get complacent about my friends; I take them for granted without realising and, for those times, I'm sorry. My friends pick me up and put me back on my feet, sometimes without even realising they've done it...
I used to watch the TV show Friends (still do, it remains funny to this day) and be jealous of that group: that they were so close-knit, that they loved each other through thick and thin. When I look around today, I see that God has blessed me with friends on every side. I can never say I'm alone, even when it feels that way, because I see the company God's given me for the journey and I realise that He must love me very much.
I sometimes, sadly, get complacent about my friends; I take them for granted without realising and, for those times, I'm sorry. My friends pick me up and put me back on my feet, sometimes without even realising they've done it...
I used to watch the TV show Friends (still do, it remains funny to this day) and be jealous of that group: that they were so close-knit, that they loved each other through thick and thin. When I look around today, I see that God has blessed me with friends on every side. I can never say I'm alone, even when it feels that way, because I see the company God's given me for the journey and I realise that He must love me very much.
Wednesday 5 October 2011
Monday 3 October 2011
Beauty Is...
I was on my bicycle today, enjoying the last of the surprisingly hot weather that's hit the UK this past week. I was cycling along, looking around me at the wonderful fields, wildlife, trees, sunset... And I thought to myself; God has provided us with such a beautiful world. You may have noticed this already. If so, well done! If not, where have you been?
The thing is, that as I noticed this (not for the first time, by the way. I was aware of it, I'm just reminded of this fact now and again); as I thanked God for His breathtaking creation and looked around at the evidence of a creative God, I began to think of myself - not in a conceited way - and how the same creative God has created me. And so I considered; if I look at this world and am speechless at it's beauty, then surely God must look at me (and you) and be beyond speechless at our beauty! What a thought!
If a sunset, to God, is a lovely thing to look at then how much more must we, the pinnacle of His creation, be a marvellous and beautiful thing to look at. And it's true; the more I thought the more I realised that God must look at me and, though He sees my sin, be so pleased with His handiwork! When God created the world, HE saw it was good. After He had created man and woman, the Bible tells us that God looked at the world and declared that it was VERY good. We are the icing on top of a beautiful cake, the pièce de résistance... What an honour, what a responsibility!
So next time you look in the mirror and see only flaws, ask God to help you see yourself the way He sees you. Don't put yourself down because when you do, you are insulting God - saying His creation is not good enough! You are handmade by the Almighty, and the Almighty doesn't make junk!
The thing is, that as I noticed this (not for the first time, by the way. I was aware of it, I'm just reminded of this fact now and again); as I thanked God for His breathtaking creation and looked around at the evidence of a creative God, I began to think of myself - not in a conceited way - and how the same creative God has created me. And so I considered; if I look at this world and am speechless at it's beauty, then surely God must look at me (and you) and be beyond speechless at our beauty! What a thought!
If a sunset, to God, is a lovely thing to look at then how much more must we, the pinnacle of His creation, be a marvellous and beautiful thing to look at. And it's true; the more I thought the more I realised that God must look at me and, though He sees my sin, be so pleased with His handiwork! When God created the world, HE saw it was good. After He had created man and woman, the Bible tells us that God looked at the world and declared that it was VERY good. We are the icing on top of a beautiful cake, the pièce de résistance... What an honour, what a responsibility!
So next time you look in the mirror and see only flaws, ask God to help you see yourself the way He sees you. Don't put yourself down because when you do, you are insulting God - saying His creation is not good enough! You are handmade by the Almighty, and the Almighty doesn't make junk!
Psalm 139:14 "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Tuesday 27 September 2011
Surprise!
York woke this week to a bit of a surprise; sunshine! According to the weather forecast, there is going to be a heatwave this week and every day will be sunny and hot! It seems to be the remnants of a summer that never was and I'm suddenly glad I'm not organised enough to have packed away my summer clothes yet :)
It has reminded me of a part of God we sometimes neglect; that He is a God of surprises. He is a God without limits, that can't be put in a box or given boundaries. Well, you can, but if you give God limitations then you run the risk of Him only working within them. If, however, you acknowledge that God is capable of "immeasurably more than all you can ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20) then suddenly you are asking God not to work inside of limits you've set, but allowing Him to work outside of limits altogether! What amazing things we would witness, if only we were brave enough to ask God to do more than we could imagine, and had the faith that He would deliver!
Not that we can direct God, or decide what He can or cannot do (those church leaders who think that Jesus is returning on October the 'whatever' need to read their Bible again because that's not the God I serve). What I'm saying is: what makes us think that, if we ask God for small things, He will deliver big ones?
Think BIG! Ask God to do 'immeasurably [abundantly, excessively, unfathomably, indefinitely, boundlessly, endlessly, infinitely] more' than you are capable of asking or imagining and then watch what He does... Let the God of surprises show you just what He's capable of and I am certain that, when He does, you will never again try to set Him within your limits.
Now go outside and enjoy the sunshine ;)
It has reminded me of a part of God we sometimes neglect; that He is a God of surprises. He is a God without limits, that can't be put in a box or given boundaries. Well, you can, but if you give God limitations then you run the risk of Him only working within them. If, however, you acknowledge that God is capable of "immeasurably more than all you can ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20) then suddenly you are asking God not to work inside of limits you've set, but allowing Him to work outside of limits altogether! What amazing things we would witness, if only we were brave enough to ask God to do more than we could imagine, and had the faith that He would deliver!
Not that we can direct God, or decide what He can or cannot do (those church leaders who think that Jesus is returning on October the 'whatever' need to read their Bible again because that's not the God I serve). What I'm saying is: what makes us think that, if we ask God for small things, He will deliver big ones?
Think BIG! Ask God to do 'immeasurably [abundantly, excessively, unfathomably, indefinitely, boundlessly, endlessly, infinitely] more' than you are capable of asking or imagining and then watch what He does... Let the God of surprises show you just what He's capable of and I am certain that, when He does, you will never again try to set Him within your limits.
Now go outside and enjoy the sunshine ;)
Saturday 24 September 2011
For The Love Of God
I'm sat in my choir uniform in Heslington Church ready to see my friend, Emily, get married! We're singing a few gospel tunes while they sign the register...
I do love a good wedding, but I don't think you can beat a Christian wedding. There's something special about putting God at the centre of a marriage; like was originally intended. God is love (take a look at the book of 1 John) and all love comes from God. Marriage involves 2 people declaring their love for one another and promising their love and faithfulness forever. A Christian marriage involves all of the above, but the love they declare is recognised as coming from God and the promises they make are sealed in Christ.
A marriage which honours God and two people who come together for the love of God, as well as the love of one another, is one that truly reflects what marriage is about and represents Christ's love to those who see it.
"Love strongly, Live compassionately, Honour deeply, Trust unfailingly." (Pete Roderick)
I do love a good wedding, but I don't think you can beat a Christian wedding. There's something special about putting God at the centre of a marriage; like was originally intended. God is love (take a look at the book of 1 John) and all love comes from God. Marriage involves 2 people declaring their love for one another and promising their love and faithfulness forever. A Christian marriage involves all of the above, but the love they declare is recognised as coming from God and the promises they make are sealed in Christ.
A marriage which honours God and two people who come together for the love of God, as well as the love of one another, is one that truly reflects what marriage is about and represents Christ's love to those who see it.
"Love strongly, Live compassionately, Honour deeply, Trust unfailingly." (Pete Roderick)
Friday 23 September 2011
Politics In A Coffee Shop
As a youth worker, I seem to spend a lot of time in coffee shops and I have decided that they would be the best place for the government to meet; forget Westminster! Conversations in coffee shops always seem to turn to discussions on religion, morality, politics, social constructs, sex... Basically, all of the so-called 'taboo' subjects.
I've overheard many groups of people putting the world to rights and think that if the government met in a coffee shop, perhaps their conversations would also turn to more fruitful matters such as these?
Today I had to bite my tongue as I overheard a pair discuss:
- Whose responsibility it is to provide sex education.
- What we should do now that sex has become "something to do, like playing video games" (their words).
- How it is time for different races, religions and people groups to "unite".
- Where our individual morals come from.
- Who is to blame for the violence in today's society.
- Why they don't believe in God.
How I wanted to get involved in that discussion; to ask them questions, challenge their views and basically let them know that the "problem with today's society" is that so many are without hope, love and faith.
People need God; they need to be told about the hope, the love and the faith that comes out of His grace toward us and love for us. Maybe I should be praying for my conversations in coffee shops... That God may be the centre of coffee shop politics, and the centre of the politics that guide this country.
I've overheard many groups of people putting the world to rights and think that if the government met in a coffee shop, perhaps their conversations would also turn to more fruitful matters such as these?
Today I had to bite my tongue as I overheard a pair discuss:
- Whose responsibility it is to provide sex education.
- What we should do now that sex has become "something to do, like playing video games" (their words).
- How it is time for different races, religions and people groups to "unite".
- Where our individual morals come from.
- Who is to blame for the violence in today's society.
- Why they don't believe in God.
How I wanted to get involved in that discussion; to ask them questions, challenge their views and basically let them know that the "problem with today's society" is that so many are without hope, love and faith.
People need God; they need to be told about the hope, the love and the faith that comes out of His grace toward us and love for us. Maybe I should be praying for my conversations in coffee shops... That God may be the centre of coffee shop politics, and the centre of the politics that guide this country.
A Day In The Life
And so the blog begins.
I've always wondered what would happen if I started one of these... I'm not entirely sure that something is supposed to happen really! You see, we used to keep blogs hidden and secret - we called them diaries. Now, thanks to the wonders of technology and the advances of this generation, we write our diaries on the internet, for the whole world to see. It's an odd transition really, but I suppose it makes sense for people to share their experiences with one another; maybe we can learn from one another's mistakes, thereby making fewer of our own?
So, yes, I'm a youth and children's worker, I trained originally as a primary school teacher and one day soon I hope to go off to be a missionary wherever God sends me, to do whatever He asks! But currently, youth, children's and family worker it is. I love my job: people say this a lot, I realise, but I really do love it. It has it's downsides, yes, but they never get close to outweighing the good.
Tonight was our church meeting. Not really a thrilling experience I suppose, but I had fun :) I shared my report and ended it with prayer requests. Following this, it was suggested that we pray there and then, leading to an impromptu prayer or two for the youth and children's ministry in our church. I felt so blessed to be reminded of how much the church supports me in what I do, and how much they care about the young people in our church. God gives us these little reminders of His love for us; I'm thankful He does because sometimes (shamefully) I forget. I thank God every day for the job I have and the love He gives me for the children and young people that He puts into my care and discipleship.
I am so in the right job :) and I sat in the meeting tonight wearing no shoes (I don't know why I ever bother putting them on in the first place), looking down at my odd socks, my dinosaur t-shirt and my Veggietales watch and thought that anyone who sees me would instantly be able to guess what role I fulfilled in the church! I shall endeavour to share some of it with you, in the hope that it will prove useful or helpful to someone, somewhere.
I've always wondered what would happen if I started one of these... I'm not entirely sure that something is supposed to happen really! You see, we used to keep blogs hidden and secret - we called them diaries. Now, thanks to the wonders of technology and the advances of this generation, we write our diaries on the internet, for the whole world to see. It's an odd transition really, but I suppose it makes sense for people to share their experiences with one another; maybe we can learn from one another's mistakes, thereby making fewer of our own?
So, yes, I'm a youth and children's worker, I trained originally as a primary school teacher and one day soon I hope to go off to be a missionary wherever God sends me, to do whatever He asks! But currently, youth, children's and family worker it is. I love my job: people say this a lot, I realise, but I really do love it. It has it's downsides, yes, but they never get close to outweighing the good.
Tonight was our church meeting. Not really a thrilling experience I suppose, but I had fun :) I shared my report and ended it with prayer requests. Following this, it was suggested that we pray there and then, leading to an impromptu prayer or two for the youth and children's ministry in our church. I felt so blessed to be reminded of how much the church supports me in what I do, and how much they care about the young people in our church. God gives us these little reminders of His love for us; I'm thankful He does because sometimes (shamefully) I forget. I thank God every day for the job I have and the love He gives me for the children and young people that He puts into my care and discipleship.
I am so in the right job :) and I sat in the meeting tonight wearing no shoes (I don't know why I ever bother putting them on in the first place), looking down at my odd socks, my dinosaur t-shirt and my Veggietales watch and thought that anyone who sees me would instantly be able to guess what role I fulfilled in the church! I shall endeavour to share some of it with you, in the hope that it will prove useful or helpful to someone, somewhere.
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