Getting fit!

A while ago I blogged about some of the things I hope to do in the next two years and two months, before I turn 30. One of them is getting fit. So for the past six weeks I have been back at the gym training hard. I have combined that with a few simple lifestyle choices such as giving up fizzy drinks and chocolate. It has been hard and has meant spending hours pounding the treadmill and rowing machines but six weeks into my programme and I have shed just over two stones, reducing my weight from 16 stone 4 to 14 stone. I still have another half a stone to go to my target of 13.5 and an awful lot of toning work but I am really glad I have gone on this journey. It has been a very spiritual experience for me. I have been having to learn to break some life long habits and praying about some of these has brought break through and strength. Fizzy drinks and chocolare have been in my daily diet for as long as I remember. My bro Glen and I always joke about being weened on Pepsi, but up until six weeks ago I would have been necking about 3-4 cans of Pepsi a day and throw in a few Mars Bars and very basic rugby training and 1 game a week and the result is a steady weight gain over the past four years. Quitting Pepsi is not just about losing weight though, it is about looking after my insides, my heart, my blood sugar (I have been borderline diabetic for the last few years) and also my teeth. I have had to go cold turkey and six weeks in I am now excited about drinking water (I could never have thought that possible)
Getting fit, for me, is not about looking good, rather it is in response to God's call on my life and in obedience to some of the things going on deeper within my soul. Leading YFC is going to take energy, passion, enthusiasm and more energy. As I find my fitness levels increase I find myself sleeping better at night, I am more alert and have higher energy levels during work, my stress levels are low and my clothes fit better.
The next stage of the journey is going to be more difficult, losing that next half a stone is gonna be tough. Diets don't work so I have not gone on one, I want the weight to stay off, so I am just eating what I normally eat, lots of cereal, bread, milk, pasta, chinese, pizza, all the yummy stuff.
I'll let you know how it goes.

Youth for Christ at Windsor Park

So last Saturday YFCNI played Crown Jesus a fundraising football match. We had the amazing opportunity of playing the Northern Ireland kit on the main pitch at Windsor Park. Like all Christian football matches, it got a bit hairy at times but it was a great day, great opportunity, great fundraiser and I got to stand in the goals that have been stood in by some of the great goalkeepers, including Pat Jennings, Paul Robinson, Tommy Wright, Roy Carol and many others...oh and keep a clean sheet. Final score YFC 3: CJM 0

Name dropping!!!

So I was just at Parliament having a photoshoot with YFC and the First Minister!....

Money

God is so good. So this morning I prayed and asked God for money to get a new centre development worker for YFC. Youth for Christ currently has nine local centres with another couple in development right now. It is so exciting for me, as my heart is to see many more works established reaching out into the lives of young people outside of the church. Anyway, the workload in trying to support current centres and develop new ones is huge. Pete Martin carried this baton for many years doing a fantastic job and leaving behind a great legacy. So, to cut a long story short, this morning I said, God I need your leading, your guidance and your provision and this afternoon I got a cheque for £3500. God is awesome, freaky, but awesome.

If I look back over my ministry in YFC over the past four and a bit years I should not have been surprised! Here are a few of the exciting things that have happened on my faith journey, with regards to money

1. When I started in Dromore YFC, there was only enough money to pay me for two months! Four years later when I left the ministry was supporting three paid staff and four interns


2. In 2005 I led a team of ten YFC volunteers to a Leadership conference in Chicago. None of us had any money, we felt strongly that God wanted us to go and so most of the team borrowed money to book flights. When we got to Dublin Airport, we were met at the check in by an Aer Lingus rep, who asked us would we mind flying via London, and for our troubles wrote us a cheque for £7000, the cost of the entire trip, flights, hotel, car, insurance, conference and spending money!


3. In 2006 we ran out of oil in The Base, it was £1000 for a fill, it was winter, freezing and Dromore YFC didn't have any money. I felt God saying that he had already provided the money and that all I had to do was the ask the volunteers? I sent a text round, communicating the need and within twenty minutes exactly £1ooo had been pledged by a group of teenagers!


4. In 2006 my Cell really prayed for us when we were in real need financially, I remember sharing the burden with the men in our prayer group and how they passionately held on to God for me and Dromore YFC for finances. In the post over the next two days I received cheques for £8000!


5. Yesterday I recieved a Standing Order from dear friends for £50 a month, how amazing. I have been trusting God for the provision of my salary and yet again He is providing.


6. This morning I laid the need before God for a new Centre Development Worker for YFC and this afternoon He provided £3500

I am so privileged to have been called to a place where I get the opportunity to see God provide in such amazing ways. At times like this I wonder why I would ever want to walk in ministry where everything is secure and no trust is needed. Without faith it is impossible to please God...

New blogger

Finally talked Susanna into blogging although I had to set her up a blog and compose her first post!
Check it out on http://www.susannabetts.blogspot.com/

Jesus

So last night Rebecca and I paid a visit to our home church at Castlereagh Gospel Hall in Belfast. They were having a special outreach night. They normally just have a Gospel preacher who comes and preaches his we heart out, but last night they showed a Steve Chalke DVD. Rather forward thinking for a Brethren service. Afterwards though I was hearing whispers that Steve Chalke had gone of the rails and had gone away from evangelicalism. I thought I should do some research on this rather than listen to nasty rumours that get spread around. But right enough it seems that Steve Chalke has, in his latest book The Lost Message of Jesus, claimed that he doesnt believe in the doctrine of Penal Substitution. Penal what you say? That's what I thought...

Wikipedia is good on this one

"Penal substitution is a theory of the atonement within Christian theology, especially cherished by Evangelicals of the Reformed tradition. Penal substitution means that Christ is punished (penal) in our place (substitution), thus satisfying the demands of justice, so God can justly forgive. It is thus a specific understanding of substitutionary atonement, where the substitutionary nature of Jesus` death is understood in the sense of a substitutionary punishment. It is also a specific form of satisfaction doctrine which focuses on God's justice being satisfied by Christ's bearing the punishment meant for sinners."

So I was thinking, what does Steve Chalke think was happening to Jesus when he was on the cross... maybe I should read his book and find out. I'll add it to my holiday reading list.

The Mrs

Was so pleased to discover that my wee wife has finally started blogging. She is much better at writing and articulating her thoughts than me so I will probably retire from the blogging world!

Gone home

Bec and I were woken early this morning with a call from Campbell, our Cell leader, letting us know that Lindsay Emerson had passed away to be with the Lord. Lindsay was a member of our home group and was one of the most beautiful people we have ever known. We will miss her. Our hearts go out to Ali and all the family. Please keep praying for the Anderson and Emerson families.

God

I studied Romans 1 this morning preparing to teach it to my staff team at our new weekly Bible and Prayer session. It was good to be reminded of the truth that the Gospel (you know, the good news, the message) is actually God himself. Paul calls it the Gospel of God. God is the wonderful, mindblowing, life changing, grace dispensing Gospel. It's not about him, it is HIM.
The Gospel is not a type of service, a style of music or chosen preaching style but rather it is a revelation of God, it is God. It has the power to save anyone, because it is God, it has the desired goal of faith, because God loves faith, it has as it's substance, the person of Jesus Christ, because He is God, it has as its aim, the renown of His name because we were created for His glory. God is the Gospel, the Gospel is God. I love it. It is not a Protestant Gospel, it is not a rich man's Gospel, although it can save both. It has no preference and it is not limited to creed, nation, caste, class, sex or age. It is the power of God to save, because it is God. I guess we have to be careful not to miss God as we present the Good news. As it turns out, the Gospel, is not a three point sermon on a Sunday night but rather the one who designed night...if you know what I mean

Incase you missed it.

Just incase you missed my wee interview with Stephen Nolan on BBC Radio Ulster, Grierso at YFCNI managed to get a copy onto the YFC Blog. Check it out... I haven't, can't listen to my own voice! The Interview

Before I am 30

So Rebecca, Johnny & Susanna, my wife and best mates went for a walk on Saturday to Peaklands Park. We have great laughs on our walks, we talk about life, experiences, holidays and well, anything. On Saturday during the walk I was asked if I had a list of things I wanted to do before I was 3o. I am 27 now, turning 28 this July. So now I have started to think, what are the things I want/would like to do/experience before I turn 30?

Here are a few, being a strategicly minded guy they include the goal and the plan to reach it.

• Get fit again (Rebecca and I are reopening our membership with David Lloyd's when we move back to Belfast. I am also setting myself the target of making every rugby training session next season and finally kicking my addiction to fizzy drinks. I am currently on day 3 of my cold turkey fizzy drink quit)


• Travel (This summer me, Bec, Sue & Johnny are travelling around the world, stopping at Hong Kong, Sydney, Aukland, Fiji and Los Angeles. I also hope to travel to the Youth for


• Christ General Counsel in South Africa in 2008.)


• Spend more time with my friends and make new friends. (I would love to start a Bible study in my house, wherever that may be)


• Learn to swim ( I can swim, but it's more like survival swimming, I would love to learn to swim properly.)


• Learn how to Ski


• Preach more

So there are probably more and they might not seem very exciting or very difficult but its only two years away!

A day to remember!

So yesterday the coolest thing happened to me. I had an idea over the weekend that I wanted to take the staff of YFCNI to Stormont to spend time intercessing for the new assembly, for the country and for young people in NI. When we got to the top of Stormont at Carson's Statue, who jumps out of his car, but the Rev Ian Paisley!
I waved over the road to him and he waved back, so Grierso said come on and we'll introduce ourselves. Allan and I ran across the road, to the obvious displeasure of the bodyguards who looked ready to pound us into the ground.



We told Ian that we were from YFC and we were at Stormont to pray. He was so pleased and started sharing his heart with us. Amazing. Then to our shock and without any prompting he just got lit up and started interceding and praying for us. I was in absolute shock and was completely zapped by God's power flowing out of this old man of the cloth. Thankfully Allan was just as blown away so I must not have been to stupid looking. It was spectacular and totally awesome. Something to remember. My father in law will be pleased when I tell him that Big Ian quoted JP Nicholson, a very famous Gospel preacher from yesteryear whom my father in law tels me about all the time.

Afterwards we went and had a brill time of prayer on the steps of Stormont. It was great. Garreth Falls from Dungannon started prophesying over us and over me as the new leader of YFC. He was telling us that there was significance in meeting Ian and having him pray with us and give us his blessing. He prophesied a response to my authority and that of YFC. Cool I thought.

After we finished praying a Security Guard approached us to ask would we like a tour of the parliament buildings, something that can only happen at the request of an MLA. Exciting. Garreth was loving it!

It was such a divinely appointed morning. It gives me so much hope and adds value and belief to my blog yesterday.

New Blog

Just started a new Youth for Christ blog today, check it out
www.yfcni.blogspot.com

Wonderful Opportunity!!!

Part of signing my life away to Youth for Christ is that I have to raise my own salary. Could you support me? Just a little...or a medium sized bit, or lots if you are rich? I would love you to consider investing in me, my ministry, Youth for Christ and young people in Northern Ireland.
If you can help, simply click on the picture, print it out and send it to me, either at home or at YFCNI.

The boys

Rebecca came along to

take some pics of me playing rugby recently. She was bored and back in the car before the game even kicked off. She did however get this pic. On the left is my bro Glen, and to the right of me, my brother-in-law Phil and my other brother-in-law Steve (both Bec's brothers). It's so cool getting to play with these guys every Saturday, it has given us great memories to share as a family and if there is ever a fight we have each others backs!!

This is a good pic. At this match, Grosvenor's 1st XV fielded 4 sets of brothers. How cool is that. And all 8 studied at Grosvenor Grammar School.

YFCNI

So I have spent the last week and a half getting to know my new team at Youth for Christ NI. This is the team, minus Stevie P, who is behind the camera. They are great guys and have a lot of potential. We are excited about the next stage in the life and ministry of Youth for Christ. Please keep us in your prayers and on your hearts as we step out in faith looking to God to lead us, use us, provide for us.

Thanks

Moving forward

This past week in my life has been lived out at such an amazing speed. I am so excited to be moving forward. In so many ways now I am moving forward. Rebecca and I have our house on the market and an offer accepted on a house in Comber. Our Cell in church has new members, new believers, new passion, it is exciting. Grosvenor are stepping up big time in rugby, developing constantly and YFCNI is about to kick into gear and go moving forward into the kingdom work of God. These are exciting times and we are trying to live out each day with a sense of expectation and also a committment to faith itself. We are trusting in the one who called us and we are leaning into him big time.
I am so aware of the importance of the journey now and not just the destination. I thank God for that change in perspective. I know where I want to be but I don't want to miss the potential off the journey.

Beating the traffic

So after two days of horrific traffic I decided I need to get out of bed earlier and try and avoid wasting over two hours a day sitting behind the wheel. I now leave my house at 6.50am and that gets me into work in half an hour. So I am now cutting my travelling time in two..sweet! This week has just dissappeared into eternity. Where did it go, seriously, I can't believe it is Friday.
My first week has been amazing. I am so in love with this ministry, with everything it is about, it is as if God has given me a new heart. I am so thankful to all you guys who have prayed for me and supported me this week. I just hope and pray that God will make me effective and annoint my ministry here in YFC. I need to raise around £900 a month in support and in the last two weeks about £350 of that has been committed by amazing friends and family. If any of you guys have the capacity to support me in anyway please let me know. steven.mccready@yfcni.org I would be so excited to have you join me in this ministry of reaching young people all over Northern Ireland with the love of Jesus.
On another personal note please keep Bec and I in your prayers as we plan to put our house up for sale in the next week. It is proving to be quite stressful. We have our hearts on a wee townhouse, which would potentially give us better access to both our families and also both our jobs. But now the clock is ticking.

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.