For me it was a time for spending with the kids, swimming, cycling, playing cards etc. No screens in sight for anyone ... And so we were "forced" to talk with each other!! Good to have nothing to do with a day except whatever presents itself ... Well, for two weeks anyway...
Reading also played a big part of the time - two Harlan Coben novels (weekend reads) then Hunger for Reality (G Verwer), Outpouring of Grace (Roy Goodwin), Discerning the Spirit of the Age (D Tidball) followed by the completion of The Everlasting Man (G K Chesterton) ... An excellent riposte to the wave of aggressive atheism based on the 'science' of evolution. The scientific argument may have moved on since 1925 but the underlining arguments for a creator God remain unshaken and, indeed, unanswered by science.
Having space ... no emails, texts, phone calls, facebook, twitter etc ... So what happens in space? In my experience, if you are looking for Him, then the Holy Spirit fills these spaces ... Presses meaning into them and speaks ... Silence and space are very important gifts that we throw away at our peril.
I recently read another leader's blog, which explained the degree to which he was bombarded with information from the moment he arose to the moment he went to sleep ... This is part and parcel of modern day living I am afraid and we cannot ignore it, but we can 'manage it' rather than letting it 'manage us' ... We need space to think, ponder, dream, listen, hear and let the Spirit speak truth, light, meaning and direction into all aspects of our world.
I wonder how good I will be at maintaining that when I get back to life and work at home!?!?
Oh ... and eating! ... who can resist Blue Cheese, Pain au Chocolate etc etc. (Though not on the same plate of course!)
I was at WEC Teen Camp for the week ... and what I saw and experienced fills me with such hope for the future. Young men and women, despite all the 'stuff' that is going on in their lives. The world's value system that is force fed to them, that shapes their thinking and affects their daily lives ... for some in traumatic ways which are all too raw and apparent to them and, for some, in subtle ways that are damaging yet not currently apparent to them. (When the time is right the Spirit will reveal these things to them and deliver them from them ... after all He did, and still is doing it with the rest of us isn't He!)
But still they worship, still they pray and still they have a passion for the Lord and for His kingdom coming to the ends of the earth ... I can't wait until it is unleashed! Lord let it be soon!
The week ahead is one of relaxation and refreshment as we put all that's needed into a trailer and head off to a field in France. Hope the pool is warm and the weather kind!
Dealing with the 'downs' amongst the 'ups'!
I am a pragmatic person, who wants things to be real ... I want integrity. If something promises to be life changing then I expect it to be! The gospel is no different ... I did not become a Christian because I agreed with a creed or theology - I heard a message of 'fulness of life' in Christ, along with the promise of an intimate and imminent relationship with the Living God, my Father in heaven - through faith in the life, death and resurrection of Christ. I responded and have spent the years since increasingly understanding that 'fulness' and the One who made it possible.
So on that level I want integrity, but integrity works itself out on another level as well. It is great went things seem to flow and the Lord hears and talks to you. But, what about those times when it all seems like hard work? and the heavens seems as though they are a brassy, impenetrable barrier? How do we deal with that? We have to show a level of integrity at those times and acknowledge they are there and work through them too. This can be exacerbated if you are in leadership as others still want encouragement and support - even if it feels as though you are pouring out of an empty pot!
So, this is how I had been feeling for a few weeks, but now don't - so what made the difference? Why did it happen? What did I do to get through?
Having reflected on this experience - came to the following conclusions (at other times ther answers are different - so always good to ask the question!)
Answers - Don't know, Don't know and nothing different! But there are some reflections that have been helpful.
1/ It is Christ's power to keep me that is more significant than my sense of feeling 'kept' - He holds onto me with an irresistible power, that is far greater than I hold on to Him. So trust in this anchor keeps us from drifting.
2/ What is the deeper purpose of the Lord's dealings with me? To form Christ in me ... Godly behaviour, attitudes, actions etc. He knows how best to lead this process and what that process should look like, so times of trial and testing bring forth growth.
I liken it to standing on a beach with the water up to my knees - I want to go deeper and Father knows that. So at times the water recedes - I then have a choice, do I walk out further or stand still and wait for the water to return. If I choose to go further then when the water returns I find I am in deeper than I was before - which is my desire. If I stand still then, when the waters return I find I am in the same depth and making no progress.
3/ What did I do differently? Nothing, I continued to read the Bible and other books (hard work) and pray (though without much hope for answers!) and do the things I have been called to do. The Lord was still at work through my obediance - because it is not about me, it 's about Him. Prayers for healing were answered, people encouraged and blessed.
The key is to keep going, persevere to the end - do the things that we should do, then once we have walked through the season we find we are deeper in Him.
James 1:2-4 is helpful.
I am sure this will happen again - though next time He will have other things to teach me! This is victorious living!
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Helpful thought!
Any work for God that depends on our own efforts, our own zeal, our own ability, and resources, will fail! - George Verwer.
It is right to work hard, have zeal for the kingdom, apply all our God-given talents, abilities and resources to the task in hand - but never be dependent upon them ... How tragically wanting that would leave us!
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Are we all wrong?
Recently I was meeting with a group of leaders who had never met together before. To start the meeting we each shared a little of our life and ministry ... Always interesting to hear a/ How Jesus draws people, from varied backgrounds and experiences, to Himself and b/ What varied directions He leads people who are willing to be led ... Fascinating, anyway, I digress!
We then each shared what we felt the Lord had been saying to us recently ... And we all had the same thing to say (albeit in different words!) ... Namely;
a/ A growing sense of urgency to see the great commission completed as quickly as possible!
And
b/ A growing sense of anticipation and imminence ... That the Lord is about to move in a amazing way here in the UK and into Europe.
So, what do we say to this?
Are we all wrong? Or just desperate? Or is the Lord indeed giving us each that sense of prophetic urgency?
I believe the latter is most accurate ... But, as my Pastor friend shared on Sunday morning ... Let us all resolve to say 'Yes!' to the Lord - even before He has asked anything of us ... That way we will be prepared and ready to go when He starts to move.
So, Revival - why not here? Why not now? And why not us?
Keep pressing on ... He is worth it!
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
