Covered

So I am seriously counting down now...two weeks (ten days) left in my post in Dromore. I have been Ministry Director here for nearly four years. It has been such a wonderful journey. Through many ups and downs, dark times, awesome times, as I reflect back I can see the lovely faithful hands of Jesus on my life and work. I don't know why! In my head I am still the same waster that humbly gave his life to Jesus when he was 18 and stuggles everyday to follow him closely and be obedient to him. I guess though when you give your life to God it really is not about you anymore. It's all about him. I find my life covered in grace. I love you Jesus. You are the author and finisher of my faith and I thank you so much that you have not wiped your hands off me but have taken a tighter grip and you won't let go. I do not deserve your mercy and I have no claim upon your goodness but still you give it to me. Thank you. I am yours

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,

Psalm 36: 5&6

Packing up my books!

I have decided to start packing up my books. I have a few...about 500 which I need to move from my office in Dromore. I have a nice study in my house but the problem is, Rebecca has nicked all the shelf space for her teaching stuff. I don't know if my new office has book shelves or space for books. My plan is to pickout about 200 that I use and need and put the rest in my roofspace. But I am not excited about climbing up and down ladders with all those boxes. It has been such a great week. I have been overwhelmed with peace. It is as if God is pouring it over my life like a waterfall. Everytime I try to stress about leaving Dromore or becoming the National Director, I hear God say the most beautiful things to me. Today he told me he loves me, it made me smile and be still for a moment and enjoy those amazing words. One thing that has occupied my mind a lot though this week is Lindsay Emerson. Lindsay is really sick and my heart is really breaking for her and Ali. Lindsay is in my home group and every Monday night as we pray for her I feel pain so deep inside and I can't explain it. I find myself questioning God and yet at the same time praying to him and trusting him. I cant imagine what Ali and Lindsay must be experiencing but their faith continues to inspire me and keep me focusing on the main things! Rebecca printed out Lindsay's picture and stuck it on our fridge. When somebody goes onto our fridge they are definately gonna get prayed for given the amount of time Peter and I spend going in and out for food and drinks.

Lord, will you reveal your majesty in Lindsay Emerson's life.

New Car

I got a new car today. Rebecca and I are going to have to travel separately when I take up my new post in March. Choosing a car is so much harder than I thought. I was trying to consider the milage I would be doing, the insurance, what I need in terms of size etc. I spent a few hours driving around and a whole lots of hours on autotrader looking for a Golf but they are so expensive. Anyways today I picked up my car from Agnews. Its a really nice Megane, diesel, cheap insurance, cheap tax, low milage and the best bit, the previous owner put in a bluetooth car kit for your phone. Exactly what I need! I have bought it with faith that God is gonna provide the extra money we need to run a second motor. Anyway I have put on a wee pic so you will recognise me if you see me out cruising!

Preparing

I have started to prepare for the transition that is about to hit my life. Nothing about my decision to leave Dromore, and move to YFCNI has really sunk in. It is all in my head, filed under, the unreal! It just doesnt feel real. I know its true, but that doesnt make it feel any more real. I have my date for leaving, Friday 9th February. This means the formal will be my last night at Dromore Youth for Christ. I will definately need to pack a hanky that night. I have spent a lot of time praying this week. I dont say that so sound spiritual. I am not great at praying, but this week, more than anyweek, I have found myself having to lean on God, throwing my fears and worries on him. If he got sore heads, I think I would have given him one. Thankfully God doesnt even grow tired! I am going to write a series of blogs reflecting on the last four years in Dromore, so watch this space. Hopefully you will get encouraged as you hear stories of God's grace and mercy in the lives of a bunch of ragamuffin misfits who want to follow Jesus. I'll start tomorrow.

New Direction

I am leaving Dromore Youth for Christ. I need to keep saying it to help me come to terms with the reality of it. I guess I just always thought I would be in The Base. This morning I got a call from the chairman of Youth for Christ Northern Ireland offering me the position of National Director. Its 16 hours later and I am still in shock. I didn't think I had performed well in my interview last night, so I was just blown away when I got a call the next morning telling me I had been successful and was being offered the post. Wow! I need to keep reminding myself that this is real. It has been such a weird day. I have experienced so many emotions, excitement, joy, fear, sadness, encouragement, discouragement, support. I am shattered. I

will take up the post at the beginning of March. This will hopefully give me all the time I need to really finish well in Dromore and make preparations for the new role in March. I would value prayer for everyone involved in the transition, for Rebecca and I, my beloved family in Dromore, the team at YFCNI and all my financial and prayer supporters.

Listening to myself?!

I hate listening to myself preaching. I thought I might get used to it but not yet! I found the podcast of myself preaching at Manafest last year and I gave it a wee listen...you never get used to hearing your own voice. yuk!!

Spent two hours this morning working through conflict with the team here in the office. It was heavy and I am shattered. I always do my best to avoid it but always feel the same about conflict after it is resolved...it's actually good. It allows God his right to shape our lives...

Been thinking a lot today about Paul's message in Athens, in The Message is reads class...
"The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in him, can't get away from him! One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created.' Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn't make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it? God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead."
Brilliant

Thoughts

Back at work today after nearly three weeks off for my holidays. It has been such a great holiday, I feel renewed, refreshed and refocused. I have set some goals for the incoming year and I am excited to see where I will be in six months. 2006 was a hard year. I struggled through mostly and never really seemed to do more than crawl, so much for running the race. It finished well though in that it finished. I am glad to see the back of 06 and the dawning of a new year, filled with potential and hope and dreams and vision. I love the possibility of new things this year, letting go of old things, old struggles, old issues, unfulfilled dreams and unreached goals. I love the thought of a God who wipes the slate clean, says, go for it, have another crack, take another shot. Have faith in yourself, have faith in Me. I guess the biggest challenge I face is believing in myself, walking in my identity, trusting in Christ, and throwing my full heart on God, a God I can depend on. God was faithful last year and will be faithful in the year to come.

Passion

Just home from speaking at Scrabo in Newtownards. I was teaching the YF about impacting their schools for Christ. It was a good session followed by some really good discussion groups. Speaking is weird, I never really enjoy it at the time, and every word will replay in my head tonight when I go to bed, but then peace will come and I will be able to trust that I did what I was asked and I gave glory to the One who deserves it. I had a couple of great chats after the session. One in particular left me asking a lot of questions. I talked to an Italian friend who is struggling in ministry here because of the lack of passion Christians have for Christ (misnomer I know) His Italian culture is one of young Christians passionately and devotedly following Jesus and here he finds that young Christians are apathetic and lethargic. Anyways the question we came to together is this...what gives passion? Young Christians in Ireland have theology, have legacy but where will they find passion? I don't know

I have not had the chance to blog in ages. I was away for a few days with Bec and I agreed not to bring my laptop even though the hotel had free internet access. I have actually really enjoyed the holidays, I have got to spend quality time with my babe, good times with our family and even fun with friends.

I did however do something completely out of character during the break...I went and spent an undisclosed amount of money on a Nintendo Wii...it is amazing.

I am not obsessed with it or anything but it is so cool. Bec and I have been having tennis matches, bowling tournaments and boxing bouts. Basically its as close to virtual reality gaming as is out there and it rocks.

I also started a new book. It is actually a combo of older publications by Dr Brand and Phillip Yancey. It is called In the likeness of God. I recommend it.

Oh Happy New Year 2007