First day in the new job

I am enjoying the peace and qyuiet of my new office. Everyone has gone home for the day and I am catching some alone time. It has been a brilliant day. Since the moment I awoke this morning I have known the Shalom peace of God. I have received many emails and texts from Christians all over the world wishing me well and praying for me. It is such a humbling experience to know that people take time to pray for you. Thank you to all of you.
I have to say though I am exhausted today. I was away speaking to the wonderful youth of Orangefield Presbyterian this weekend and then I was preaching in Church last night. It was a fantastic weekend but my not so young body is starting to slow up and my bones ache.

I spent a while at lunch today sitting by the side of the River Lagan, I was thinking about how the same water flows past Dromore, alongside the Base, and makes its way to Belfast passing my new office. I was praying and asking God for another measure of his ever flowing grace as I serve him now just a few miles downstream.

My new email address is steven.mccready@yfcni.org

God moment

So I am just back from dropping Pete's guitar pedal down to the Moyallon Centre, where Dromore Youth for Christ are hosting Dromore High School's Scripture Union weekend. It was such a wonderful expereince for me to walk in and see all the hard work these guys have done setting up what is going to be an amazing weekend as 60 young people meet God and hear his word. It was so cool so see Dinger, Lawsy, Pete, Sebomai, all these young people serving, setting up, putting up first aid posters, room plans, menus, everything that has to happen to make a weekend like this a success. I stayed only a few minutes because I was beginning to get emotional. These are my guys! God used me to disciple them, train them, equip them and now seeing them do their stuff without needing me is just such a wonderful feeling. To know that two years ago Kevin & Lawsy (the speakers on the weekend) were not even followers of Jesus, just blows my mind. Remembering that when Andy, Cheryl and I led the first SU weekend three years ago, thirteen kids came, causes me to stand in awe of God. He can do all things! I met the Lord this afternoon in my car on the way back from Moyallon and I said thank you for such an awesome group of young people in Dromore Youth for Christ. Thanks for trusting me to look after them for four years. Thanks for paying me to do it. It was all for you Lord.

Lonely?

This Sunday I am speaking at my church, Emmanuel at their monthly outreach event Nooma. The subject I have been given 'Lonely?' is wrecking my head. I am so challenged about trying to say something worthwhile in the fifteen minutes I have to preach in a packed programme. God really put something on my heart but I am struggling to put it into words and also to bring practical application. I guess I am concerned that if there are people there on Sunday experiencing deep deep lonliness that I could cause hurt speaking about something that we all experience in different ways. Tomorrow I have the lovely job of preparing four youth talks for this weekend as I am away preaching at Orangefield Presbyerian's Youth weekend in Murlough. I get back Sunday afternoon and then into church to preach Sunday night...I have a feeling that come Monday morning and starting my new job, that I am gonna be busted. Well I met today with Allan and Judith, the Leadership Team with YFCNI, basically my right hand man and woman in my new post. It was a really focused time with a fusion of hearts, vision, ideas and community. I am excited about working with them both. I am so thankful for this new opportunity I have to serve Jesus and show his love to people. My prayer is that I will abandon myself completely to Him who is worthy and rest fully on his grace. I'll keep you posted on the journey.

Congratulations

Congratulations to David Bailie and Cheryl Cunningham who got engaged this weekend. Both are close friends and lovely people. Rebecca and I are excited to see where God takes them and uses them in their lives together. Hopefully Cheryl won't smooth out Davy too much as he continues to be one of the most passionate Jesus followers I know. Shalom to you both.

Enjoying a good rest!

This week has been so weird. I have been off with absolutely nothing urgent needing done. At first I was a little bit bored, but then I realised that this was an amazing opportunity for me to get some really good rest. So I have had a few long sleeps, lots of tv and a lot of quality social time with friends and family. It has been good. God's timing is so perfect. Rebecca and I have had a really brilliant week of re-discovering the goodness of God and the blessing it is to wait on his voice, his guidance and his grace. Our lives are about to change so much, the next six months for us are going to be so mad, so exciting, so terrifying but by faith we are trusting God for more of his abundant care. This week one verse of scripture has been living in me making me think and drawing me near, its found in 2 Corinthians, Paul writes

7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

I am being reminded of my need to depend completely on God and his power, recognising with real honesty just how frail and human I am. A lump of dust.

Finished

So I am now officially finished in my job as Ministry Director for Dromore Youth for Christ. It has been such a wonderful four years drawing to a close on Friday past at our Fundraising Formal Dance. It was a wonderful night raising £2000 for the ministry and giving me a chance to say thanks and goodbye to the wonderful guys I have shared the journey with in Dromore. As I begin to face up to the reality that my life is about to change completely, I am thankful for a couple of weeks of to be renewed, to process my life, my walk with God, my call before I begin as Director of Youth for Christ NI on February 26th. I would value your prayers and support.

Thanks to everyone who has prayed, supported, volunteered, served, taught, learned, helped and encouraged us in our ministry in Dromore Youth for Christ. I look forward to hearing of how God continues to move and bless in Dromore in 2007 and beyond.

I love you all dearly in Christ.

Standing out for you

Rebecca snapped these flowers in Paris last Easter. After a bit of work on Photoshop she produced this awesome image. I love it.

Last week...

So I am now in my last week as Ministry Director of Dromore Youth for Christ. Hard to believe just how quickly time has gone. I have had so many ups and downs in my ministry in Dromore, but as I look back it's the ups that definately come to my mind. It's been so cool to see God move in so many lives. A real privilege. I just hope that as I move on some of that passion that has driven us in Dromore will come with me into my new ministry. I am getting all geared up for the formal on Friday night, organising music, games, seating, menus etc so I am absolutely flat out so I know that this week is going to fly in. Probably just what the doctor ordered. I've never been one for goodbyes so it will nice to get the head down this week and then say goodbye on Friday. Today is our Cell Fast. Once a month we fast together, meet up and pray and then have a meal at supper time. It is one of the highlights of the month for me despite the obvious lack of food in my belly and the tiredness I am feeling. Tonight we are praying for Lindsay, hopefully in expenctancy of the God of miracles to do his stuff.

Inspired

What an amazing morning I have had. I am feeling so thankful to be alive. I spent this morning hanging out with Neil Harrison, which involved some great chat, then speaking to Ali Emerson and then finally speaking to Lindsay Emerson. All three of these people inspire me, encourage me, bless me and so I am feeling totally inspired, encouraged and blessed. God is so good. I am just heading into Dromore High School to speak at the SU, on fasting. This will be my last time in the High School. I have so many happy memories there including crazy skits in assembly, carol service speaking, harvest services, weekends away, youth alpha. Thank you God for the wonderful open door into the high school to share your beautiful news.