Oops!
It's only 3rd November and already I've missed a day of NaBloPoMo! Yesterday just got a little hectic despite good intentions. Ah well, let's see if I can make 29 days out of the 30!
Last night I was speaking at a Youth Service in Dromore which went well. During the course of my talk I mentioned how I get a bit of road rage from time to time and how I felt that if i really got to grips with my identity in Christ a bit better I'd probably not get so riled at other drivers and be more gracious. A guy came up to me at the end and recommended taking this approach: when someone cuts you off or whatever just say, "Hmm. That was interesting. It's not the way I would do it but there you go." By that stage your desire to growl/scream/shout/shake your fist etc should have dissipated and you can drive merrily on your way. The guy made me laugh so I will endeavour to put his advice into practice and see what happens!
Showing posts with label Words of Wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Words of Wisdom. Show all posts
Monday, 3 November 2008
Saturday, 11 November 2006
Tuesday, 2 May 2006
The Rice of Life
After reading this excellent post, I think I'll appreciate rice more! Here's a wee snippet...
"The rice fields are like muddy ponds. Some of them have the male farmer walking behind his beast or some other crazy machine from yesteryear readying it for its next crop. Other rice fields have the women walking barefoot through mud that is nearing their knees. In their hands are rice plants or shoots (I have no idea of the correct term). As they walk they throw the shoots into the mud like a dart. Where it lands it stays sticking half in and half out. As they walk along they leave trails of rice plants that end in a perfect line. This then creates the beautiful pictures you can see in my travelogue entries along with those we see in our travel brochures back home. It takes so much work to farm rice. So much time goes into planting it. Lisa [one of Shane's Chinese friends] will never leave rice uneaten. Her parents are farmers and she can never waste what takes so much time and effort to create."
After reading this excellent post, I think I'll appreciate rice more! Here's a wee snippet...
"The rice fields are like muddy ponds. Some of them have the male farmer walking behind his beast or some other crazy machine from yesteryear readying it for its next crop. Other rice fields have the women walking barefoot through mud that is nearing their knees. In their hands are rice plants or shoots (I have no idea of the correct term). As they walk they throw the shoots into the mud like a dart. Where it lands it stays sticking half in and half out. As they walk along they leave trails of rice plants that end in a perfect line. This then creates the beautiful pictures you can see in my travelogue entries along with those we see in our travel brochures back home. It takes so much work to farm rice. So much time goes into planting it. Lisa [one of Shane's Chinese friends] will never leave rice uneaten. Her parents are farmers and she can never waste what takes so much time and effort to create."
Thursday, 13 April 2006
The Invitation
It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.
It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see beauty, even when it’s not pretty, every day, and if you can source your own life from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes!”
It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.
It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.
It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.
It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.
It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see beauty, even when it’s not pretty, every day, and if you can source your own life from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes!”
It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.
It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.
It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.
From 'The Invitation' by Oriah Mountain Dreamer
Life takes courage ... and knowing other people takes courage.
Saturday, 10 December 2005
Where I'm at
I haven’t been very good at keeping this thing up-to-date recently, it feels like in some ways there’s been nothing particularly noteworthy happening though I guess if you look at the big picture that’s not necessarily true…
Work has been going fairly well though I’m not overly settled, but more about that another time perhaps. However I’m enjoying the challenge of building a rapport with young people who sometimes exhibit rather difficult behaviours at times and it’s reminded me why I want to be involved in youthwork. This past week we were at Killyleagh Outdoor Education centre with the kids for a spot of archery, canoeing, ropes course and a go on the indoor climbing wall. One of the kids managed to get a Robin Hood i.e. he fired one arrow, then his next arrow totally split the first one dead centre – it was amazing! Apparently that kind of thing is even more rare than a hole-in-one in golf. I managed to somehow cut off the circulation to my index finger when pulling back the string on the bow and the tip of my finger is still kind of numb! When we went canoeing (in open boats) on Strangford Lough, we were blessed with amazing weather for this time of year, the water was very peaceful and still, and we spotted some seals. I managed to conquer most of the climbing wall – I’m woeful when it comes to heights – so that was a wee personal victory even if I did resemble a Christmas tree decoration at times!
Post-China I think my travel itch has only increased (was that possible?!). I subscribe to Wanderlust magazine and every month it seems to do me more harm than good. This month’s issue profiles dog-sledding in Sweden, cowboy training in the Australian outback, travelling through Chile and snorkelling with orcas in Norway…seriously, if I could, I’d be off in a flash! … for the time being I’ll just have to keep dreaming!
Despite feeling slightly unsettled (or maybe because of it) I think I’m a bit more patient these days, no maybe not – there are days when I’m extremely impatient and wish God would just get me onto the next thing and have me all sorted pronto! But maybe it’s more accurate to say that I’m more understanding of what waiting on God means and I feel like I know how to put that into practice a little better. I read this recently:
And also a friend wrote to me saying: "Leaving things to God relieves us of wasting our time on intricate strategies to deal with setbacks. This is not blind faith; this is an example of educated faith."
All of this is so relevant to where I’m at. I’m not totally 100% happy in my work-place, I haven’t got moved house yet and am planning on renting for a while before I buy, so it will take some time of transition before I feel settled and like I’ve got a home again. I’m not good at living in chaos, I like order in my world. But it’s all forcing me to just focus on what each day has to offer, enjoy it for what it is, and enjoy the fact that God is with me throughout – good discipline. And the fact of God’s presence, that He’s constantly and consistently working out His purposes, you’ve gotta admit, that’s pretty cool. So I’ll not lose heart but put my trust in God’s daily renewal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
Work has been going fairly well though I’m not overly settled, but more about that another time perhaps. However I’m enjoying the challenge of building a rapport with young people who sometimes exhibit rather difficult behaviours at times and it’s reminded me why I want to be involved in youthwork. This past week we were at Killyleagh Outdoor Education centre with the kids for a spot of archery, canoeing, ropes course and a go on the indoor climbing wall. One of the kids managed to get a Robin Hood i.e. he fired one arrow, then his next arrow totally split the first one dead centre – it was amazing! Apparently that kind of thing is even more rare than a hole-in-one in golf. I managed to somehow cut off the circulation to my index finger when pulling back the string on the bow and the tip of my finger is still kind of numb! When we went canoeing (in open boats) on Strangford Lough, we were blessed with amazing weather for this time of year, the water was very peaceful and still, and we spotted some seals. I managed to conquer most of the climbing wall – I’m woeful when it comes to heights – so that was a wee personal victory even if I did resemble a Christmas tree decoration at times!
Post-China I think my travel itch has only increased (was that possible?!). I subscribe to Wanderlust magazine and every month it seems to do me more harm than good. This month’s issue profiles dog-sledding in Sweden, cowboy training in the Australian outback, travelling through Chile and snorkelling with orcas in Norway…seriously, if I could, I’d be off in a flash! … for the time being I’ll just have to keep dreaming!
Despite feeling slightly unsettled (or maybe because of it) I think I’m a bit more patient these days, no maybe not – there are days when I’m extremely impatient and wish God would just get me onto the next thing and have me all sorted pronto! But maybe it’s more accurate to say that I’m more understanding of what waiting on God means and I feel like I know how to put that into practice a little better. I read this recently:
There is something intrinsic in the process of waiting that God desires his children to learn…Like the pilgrim whose journey is just as important as his destination, how we wait and what we experience in the process is just as important as receiving what it is we are waiting for...Spiritually the rhythm of our lives is set by a redemption, sanctification & inward renewal
outside of time and inside of God’s sovereignty and goodness.
(Closer to God, Oct-Dec ’05)
And also a friend wrote to me saying: "Leaving things to God relieves us of wasting our time on intricate strategies to deal with setbacks. This is not blind faith; this is an example of educated faith."
All of this is so relevant to where I’m at. I’m not totally 100% happy in my work-place, I haven’t got moved house yet and am planning on renting for a while before I buy, so it will take some time of transition before I feel settled and like I’ve got a home again. I’m not good at living in chaos, I like order in my world. But it’s all forcing me to just focus on what each day has to offer, enjoy it for what it is, and enjoy the fact that God is with me throughout – good discipline. And the fact of God’s presence, that He’s constantly and consistently working out His purposes, you’ve gotta admit, that’s pretty cool. So I’ll not lose heart but put my trust in God’s daily renewal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
Sunday, 16 October 2005
Sunday, 17 July 2005
HP Mania
In the midst of the Harry Potter hype, Hugo Rifkind made some interesting comments in the Times (15.7.05):
"Why did we treat Revenge of the Sith as the Second Coming and why do we now await Harry Potter and the Oxblood Doc Marten (or whatever) as though we were waiting for a puff of white smoke from the Vatican? We’re being used, commercially, and we love it. Might it be that, in a world devoid of God or culture, we try to make Him and it out of the trash and fluff that our lives are full of instead?"
Indeed.
Mind you I’ve got a hold of my HP copy and am hooked already!
In the midst of the Harry Potter hype, Hugo Rifkind made some interesting comments in the Times (15.7.05):
"Why did we treat Revenge of the Sith as the Second Coming and why do we now await Harry Potter and the Oxblood Doc Marten (or whatever) as though we were waiting for a puff of white smoke from the Vatican? We’re being used, commercially, and we love it. Might it be that, in a world devoid of God or culture, we try to make Him and it out of the trash and fluff that our lives are full of instead?"
Indeed.
Mind you I’ve got a hold of my HP copy and am hooked already!
Tuesday, 24 May 2005
Wednesday, 9 February 2005
The Great Adventure
"Life is best approached in a spirit of exploration, adventure and enterprise…Chance, unforeseen circumstances and uncertainty are inescapable features of life and absolute safety is unachievable." (Campaign for Adventure)
In the light of Ellen MacArthur’s outstanding achievement, Libby Purves makes a good point.
Speaking of which, I was absolutely glued to the TV yesterday morning watching Ellen MacArthur’s arrival in Falmouth after 71 days sailing around the world solo – totally inspirational stuff!
"Life is best approached in a spirit of exploration, adventure and enterprise…Chance, unforeseen circumstances and uncertainty are inescapable features of life and absolute safety is unachievable." (Campaign for Adventure)
In the light of Ellen MacArthur’s outstanding achievement, Libby Purves makes a good point.
Speaking of which, I was absolutely glued to the TV yesterday morning watching Ellen MacArthur’s arrival in Falmouth after 71 days sailing around the world solo – totally inspirational stuff!
Monday, 2 August 2004
Sobering stuff...
If you woke up this morning fit and well rather than ill and weak... you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, intimidation, arrest, torture or death... you are more blessed than millions of people in the world today.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish somewhere... you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy.
If your parents are still alive and still married... you are very rare even in the United States and Europe.
If you can read this message you are more privileged than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
Written by Jane Indiana for JustRight magazine
If you woke up this morning fit and well rather than ill and weak... you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, intimidation, arrest, torture or death... you are more blessed than millions of people in the world today.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish somewhere... you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy.
If your parents are still alive and still married... you are very rare even in the United States and Europe.
If you can read this message you are more privileged than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
Written by Jane Indiana for JustRight magazine
Friday, 23 July 2004
Home again
Arrived back from Rome yesterday. I’m missing the sunshine a lot, it’s not nice to be back into jeans and multiple layers! Having said that it is very nice not to be sweating constantly.
My holiday was definitely a great one, I would go back in a flash, especially to the mountains in Abruzzo and to Lake Trasimeno. It was a good 10 days because I had space to think – to think calmly without having “stuff” encroaching on me – that was definitely bliss, but now I guess I’ve got to get on with living and face whatever’s next. God was really good to me – just feeding me every day with nuggets of his perspective. Whilst I was away I read Philip Yancey’s “Soul Survivor” which I really recommend – I’d love now to read all the books he mentions! And I also got to read Relevant’s July/August issue cover to cover – so spot on for where I’m at. Here are a few quotes that struck a chord with me…
“A monastery is not built to solve problems but to praise God in the midst of them” (Soul Survivor)
“Poverty, pain, struggle, anguish, agony and even inner darkness may continue to be part of our experience. They may even be God’s way of purifying us. But life is no longer boring, resentful, depressing, or lonely because we have come to know that everything that happens is part of our way to the house of the Father.”
(Henri Nouwen, in Soul Survivor)
“Our goal is to come to the end of our own power.” (Relevant July/Aug ’04)
“To be authentic…is to die to everything we hope people will admire about us, and any personal desire for power, fame, wealth, public standing or influence. In the places where we are angry and depressed, abandoned without hope or simply confused about how to think or believe, that is an opening for God to be present among us.” (Relevant July/Aug ’04)
“…fulfilling God’s purpose is so much more than accomplishing a goal. We are fulfilling this purpose for us when our hearts are surrendered to God, when we are following and obeying him without hesitation.” (Strang, Relevant July/Aug ’04)
“Whenever we experience a cross, a resurrection is sure to follow.” (Closer to God Bible-notes)
Sheep & Goats
I just remembered how one day in Abruzzo, driving along the road, we came across a farmer with a herd of sheep and goats. This may not sound amazing, but what was cool was that it confirmed stuff I’ve heard in sermons about the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 26) – that the parable is probably aimed towards all Christians rather than talking about believers (sheep) and non-believers (goats) because actually sheep and goats in the Mediterranean are really difficult to tell apart – and I could see how similar they are. Also they totally follow the shepherd and do not need to be driven which is why Jesus talks about how “his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (John 10) It was so cool to see it with my own eyes!
Arrived back from Rome yesterday. I’m missing the sunshine a lot, it’s not nice to be back into jeans and multiple layers! Having said that it is very nice not to be sweating constantly.
My holiday was definitely a great one, I would go back in a flash, especially to the mountains in Abruzzo and to Lake Trasimeno. It was a good 10 days because I had space to think – to think calmly without having “stuff” encroaching on me – that was definitely bliss, but now I guess I’ve got to get on with living and face whatever’s next. God was really good to me – just feeding me every day with nuggets of his perspective. Whilst I was away I read Philip Yancey’s “Soul Survivor” which I really recommend – I’d love now to read all the books he mentions! And I also got to read Relevant’s July/August issue cover to cover – so spot on for where I’m at. Here are a few quotes that struck a chord with me…
“A monastery is not built to solve problems but to praise God in the midst of them” (Soul Survivor)
“Poverty, pain, struggle, anguish, agony and even inner darkness may continue to be part of our experience. They may even be God’s way of purifying us. But life is no longer boring, resentful, depressing, or lonely because we have come to know that everything that happens is part of our way to the house of the Father.”
(Henri Nouwen, in Soul Survivor)
“Our goal is to come to the end of our own power.” (Relevant July/Aug ’04)
“To be authentic…is to die to everything we hope people will admire about us, and any personal desire for power, fame, wealth, public standing or influence. In the places where we are angry and depressed, abandoned without hope or simply confused about how to think or believe, that is an opening for God to be present among us.” (Relevant July/Aug ’04)
“…fulfilling God’s purpose is so much more than accomplishing a goal. We are fulfilling this purpose for us when our hearts are surrendered to God, when we are following and obeying him without hesitation.” (Strang, Relevant July/Aug ’04)
“Whenever we experience a cross, a resurrection is sure to follow.” (Closer to God Bible-notes)
Sheep & Goats
I just remembered how one day in Abruzzo, driving along the road, we came across a farmer with a herd of sheep and goats. This may not sound amazing, but what was cool was that it confirmed stuff I’ve heard in sermons about the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 26) – that the parable is probably aimed towards all Christians rather than talking about believers (sheep) and non-believers (goats) because actually sheep and goats in the Mediterranean are really difficult to tell apart – and I could see how similar they are. Also they totally follow the shepherd and do not need to be driven which is why Jesus talks about how “his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (John 10) It was so cool to see it with my own eyes!
Thursday, 8 January 2004
Thought-provoker for the day
Was having a conversation with a good friend today about guidance and seeking God’s will on specific issues. She said something which rang a chord within me:
We never hear God’s answer until we are willing to hear the answer that we don’t want.
There’s a serious amount of truth in that!
Was having a conversation with a good friend today about guidance and seeking God’s will on specific issues. She said something which rang a chord within me:
We never hear God’s answer until we are willing to hear the answer that we don’t want.
There’s a serious amount of truth in that!
Sunday, 21 December 2003
Sunday, 2 November 2003
Mouse Update
The mouse in my house turned out to be a lone operator – good job too! However I dreamt last night that there was a rat in my house, although for some reason it was a cross between a rat and a beaver (?!?), whatever it was it qualified as a rodent so my dream had a somewhat nightmarish quality to it!
Just give me Jesus!
Life has been pretty stressful recently mainly because I’ve been letting things get on top of me and generally I’ve just been failing miserably in the spiritual health department. I’ll warn everyone now…for the next 2 years you’re going to hear me moan about my Masters course and how I’ve got so much work to do! So anyway there’s been a distinct lack of blogs as thon Martin boy keeps reminding me!
This past week I feel like God’s been pulling me up short and asking, “So, do you love me?” And I’ve basically been wanting to pull my hoodie over my head and find something interesting in the carpet. Today at church the sermon was based on Jeremiah 2 where God is asking Israel why they have rejected him when he has been so good to them. In verse 5 He asks, “What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me?” It struck me, how on earth can we ever turn our backs on God? It really is ludicrous the way we battle so much to go our own way when all we need is in God. Sometimes we let God get so small and forget just how great he is, how nothing is too big for him to handle. A while ago I came across this quote: "We are able to have as much of God as we want. Christ puts the key to His treasure chest in our hands and invites us to take all we desire. If someone is allowed into a bank vault, told to help himself to the money, and leaves without one cent, whose fault is it if he remains poor? And whose fault is it that Christians usually have some meagre portions of the free riches of God?" (Quoted from a book called “God Whispers” published by Relevant.) It’s so true, surely if I went out on a limb to trust my God, I would discover that he would indeed supply. Why settle for second-best when God’s best is readily available to us?
I also read this the other day & it brought some comfort: “Christianity is the only religion where you don’t have to clean yourself up before you can be saved and healed. Jesus’ love for His sons and daughters is enough to win our hearts back from all the struggles we’re bound to.” (Derek Webb, one of the Caedmon’s Call crew, writing in Relevant magazine.) Amen!
The mouse in my house turned out to be a lone operator – good job too! However I dreamt last night that there was a rat in my house, although for some reason it was a cross between a rat and a beaver (?!?), whatever it was it qualified as a rodent so my dream had a somewhat nightmarish quality to it!
Just give me Jesus!
Life has been pretty stressful recently mainly because I’ve been letting things get on top of me and generally I’ve just been failing miserably in the spiritual health department. I’ll warn everyone now…for the next 2 years you’re going to hear me moan about my Masters course and how I’ve got so much work to do! So anyway there’s been a distinct lack of blogs as thon Martin boy keeps reminding me!
This past week I feel like God’s been pulling me up short and asking, “So, do you love me?” And I’ve basically been wanting to pull my hoodie over my head and find something interesting in the carpet. Today at church the sermon was based on Jeremiah 2 where God is asking Israel why they have rejected him when he has been so good to them. In verse 5 He asks, “What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me?” It struck me, how on earth can we ever turn our backs on God? It really is ludicrous the way we battle so much to go our own way when all we need is in God. Sometimes we let God get so small and forget just how great he is, how nothing is too big for him to handle. A while ago I came across this quote: "We are able to have as much of God as we want. Christ puts the key to His treasure chest in our hands and invites us to take all we desire. If someone is allowed into a bank vault, told to help himself to the money, and leaves without one cent, whose fault is it if he remains poor? And whose fault is it that Christians usually have some meagre portions of the free riches of God?" (Quoted from a book called “God Whispers” published by Relevant.) It’s so true, surely if I went out on a limb to trust my God, I would discover that he would indeed supply. Why settle for second-best when God’s best is readily available to us?
I also read this the other day & it brought some comfort: “Christianity is the only religion where you don’t have to clean yourself up before you can be saved and healed. Jesus’ love for His sons and daughters is enough to win our hearts back from all the struggles we’re bound to.” (Derek Webb, one of the Caedmon’s Call crew, writing in Relevant magazine.) Amen!
Friday, 8 August 2003
Monday, 9 June 2003
Quote for the day
I subscribe to Youthworker’s email discussion list and one of the guys said the following, thought it was interesting!
“The youth of today are not only the church of the day, they are the barometer of the church. If your youth is directionless, that is the way the church will go. If they are focused with a vision and passionate for the Lord, that will lead the church in that direction.” (Benjamin Conway)
The Big Noise
Oxfam have a Big Noise petition on the go at the moment which they are going to present to world leaders when they meet in Cancun on Sept 10th to encourage them to make trade fair. They want 3 million people to sign up and you can do it online! Spread the word!
I subscribe to Youthworker’s email discussion list and one of the guys said the following, thought it was interesting!
“The youth of today are not only the church of the day, they are the barometer of the church. If your youth is directionless, that is the way the church will go. If they are focused with a vision and passionate for the Lord, that will lead the church in that direction.” (Benjamin Conway)
The Big Noise
Oxfam have a Big Noise petition on the go at the moment which they are going to present to world leaders when they meet in Cancun on Sept 10th to encourage them to make trade fair. They want 3 million people to sign up and you can do it online! Spread the word!
Thursday, 22 May 2003
Was at a great prayer meeting last night – some youth leaders from the various Christian groups in Dungannon have started getting together to simply pray. There’s been such an unbelievable sense of unity – something I’ve never experienced in Dungannon to date. Last night God was so present amongst us and very obviously doing major stuff in people’s lives as well as burdening us to pray. God is definitely on the move here – drawing people together, giving them a hunger for something more, a discontentment with the status quo. So I take back my comments about hating Dungannon, well let’s say I’ve been repenting of that! Bring on the Kingdom!
Quote for the day:
History, despite its wrenching pain cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage need not be lived again. (Maya Angelo)
Quote for the day:
History, despite its wrenching pain cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage need not be lived again. (Maya Angelo)
Thursday, 8 May 2003
You’ll notice if you look left and scroll down a bit, that I’ve included a new wee feature – some diary dates that may be of interest to any who pass by this site. More thoughts will follow on the Call to Prayer event – been doing some reading again!
Quote for the day:“We come to Scripture no to learn a subject, but to steep ourselves in a Person.” (CS Lewis)
Need a giggle for the day? Check this out! Just turn up the sound.
Quote for the day:“We come to Scripture no to learn a subject, but to steep ourselves in a Person.” (CS Lewis)
Need a giggle for the day? Check this out! Just turn up the sound.
Friday, 25 April 2003
Watering required?
Following on from yesterday’s ramblings on contentment, I came across a good quote today on the “grass is greener on the other side” theory: “The truth is, the grass is greener where it’s watered. So start watering your own grass.” Good point! It comes courtesy of Doug Fields in, “Your first 2 years in youth ministry”. Yes I know I’ve been doing youthwork for longer than 2 years, but it’s never too late too learn…hehe!
Following on from yesterday’s ramblings on contentment, I came across a good quote today on the “grass is greener on the other side” theory: “The truth is, the grass is greener where it’s watered. So start watering your own grass.” Good point! It comes courtesy of Doug Fields in, “Your first 2 years in youth ministry”. Yes I know I’ve been doing youthwork for longer than 2 years, but it’s never too late too learn…hehe!
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