I want to continue the "Street Boys" theme but have so much in my head at the mo that I need to put this up
On Sunday at church there were baptisms. One lady was so profoundly prophetic it left me in tears.
She was oldish and her legs just didn't work properly any more. Anyway there are steps up to the cute pool and then a plastic chair to climb in on. All very precarious for the able bodied.
Anyway the usual - she is left to walk to the steps herself, but what happens is once on the first step she is stuck and cannot go on, so 2 women come either side of her to help her up and the congregation just seems to stop breathing. I think we were all praying her up. Every time she climbed another step there was a cheer and clapping. More clapping and cheering as she got in the pool and then the same thing as she came back down again. This lady did not get baptized alone!
But for me I saw it as what we should all really be doing for each other. When we make that commitment to move on in our Christian walk we should not be moving out alone, and not even just into the hands of 2 leaders we hardly know. It should be a joint church thing. We should all be praying for each other, all rooting for each other, all just there for each other, praying, cheering when we get it, praying some more when we are struggling.
But so often we don't do this. We are not there for each other. We do leave it to the leaders to be doing the stuff. And the interesting things was the 2 youngish men who were leaders and "doing the dunking" seemed not sure what they should be doing. And again I feel that was what God wanted to say - why should we expect people who are put in positions of leadership to do all the praying, cheering, encouraging, esp when, as seemed like this, they didn't quite know what was going on.
It goes back to that thing that we are all connected and should be know how to support each other.
Let's stop leaving it to those in named positions!
Oh and do look at Joanna's post on "Street Boys" as I think it gives us all something to pray about, talk about.
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Monday, 29 June 2009
Street Boys
I have just finished reading "Street Boys" by Tim Pritchard, a true story of gangs in London and it really got me thinking. (I did a good blog in my head in the middle of the night but it seems to have disappated a wee bit)
It stuck me as it has often stuck me, how often in this world those who try to sort things out, who send in the money, are generally people from a privileged position. They understand the system, have been educated, have basically been empowered. These lads were not saying so much that it wasn't their fault but just that what they saw around them were people in designer clothes with gold jewelry making lots of money dealing drugs, and these were the only role models they saw. They didn't see how one became any other type of profession. Most of them had no fathers, some had mothers who were in and out of prison. But it was interesting how, as they grew up, these guys were sorry for what they had done, and were trying hard to be an example to the younger boys so that they would not go that way.
I wonder how often, even as Christians, we see these latest figures about young people carrying knives and we make our own judgments, when actually we do not know these people.
And really we need to get involved with them long term, as those in Manchester are doing with the Eden Project and others are doing in this country, but I wonder how often we are more willing in our churches to send money abroad and ignore this country. And also of how often we are to send teams in to "do good" but then we go home again, we feel sorry for these people but we don't see them as equal to us and want to empower them, rather we want to be kind to these poor people. Though there are often wonder how often that is our attitude to the starving, the unclothed, etc. We do not want to get to know them as really people but as people we can do good to, be good Christians with.
The trouble is I feel all this frustration and yet I do not know where to go with it! And as I was planning this last night I felt God saying that He wanted me to empower His church to go - but at times that seems like such a cop-out.
Again I ask myself the question - who are the poorest people I know? Do I really know any really poor people? not sure poor in money terms but poor in empowerment?
It stuck me as it has often stuck me, how often in this world those who try to sort things out, who send in the money, are generally people from a privileged position. They understand the system, have been educated, have basically been empowered. These lads were not saying so much that it wasn't their fault but just that what they saw around them were people in designer clothes with gold jewelry making lots of money dealing drugs, and these were the only role models they saw. They didn't see how one became any other type of profession. Most of them had no fathers, some had mothers who were in and out of prison. But it was interesting how, as they grew up, these guys were sorry for what they had done, and were trying hard to be an example to the younger boys so that they would not go that way.
I wonder how often, even as Christians, we see these latest figures about young people carrying knives and we make our own judgments, when actually we do not know these people.
And really we need to get involved with them long term, as those in Manchester are doing with the Eden Project and others are doing in this country, but I wonder how often we are more willing in our churches to send money abroad and ignore this country. And also of how often we are to send teams in to "do good" but then we go home again, we feel sorry for these people but we don't see them as equal to us and want to empower them, rather we want to be kind to these poor people. Though there are often wonder how often that is our attitude to the starving, the unclothed, etc. We do not want to get to know them as really people but as people we can do good to, be good Christians with.
The trouble is I feel all this frustration and yet I do not know where to go with it! And as I was planning this last night I felt God saying that He wanted me to empower His church to go - but at times that seems like such a cop-out.
Again I ask myself the question - who are the poorest people I know? Do I really know any really poor people? not sure poor in money terms but poor in empowerment?
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Who Stops Your Power?
God has been teaching me something very interesting lately. Over the past few weeks the electricity in our house has got more and more weird with lights flickering like it was a haunted house, clocks gaining speed and no single clock in the house telling the right time, and all sorts of weird things.
In the end last Weds all the electricity went off, not a fuse or trip switch was blown, and then by doing nothing it came back on about 15 mins later.
So Thurs we called a friend and got the number of her tame electrician and phone him. He appeared about 5.30 and couldn't find a thing wrong though had some theories, but was very clear that it was not our fault, nothing was wrong with any of the electricity in our house. So we called out the national electricity providers, in the case Southern Electric. First they sent a sort of electrical paramedic guy who said we needed the men with the ladder, so they duly arrived.
Anyway it was discovered that it was nothing to do with us at all, but our electricity comes from a box on our neighbour's house, goes down thick cables firstly into her house, then out of there and into our house. And what had happened was that the out-terminal which would then take electricity to our house was corroded and so we didn't get a free flow. That has since been fixed and we now have lights that are brighter than ever and clocks that tell the same time!!
But what God said to me is sometimes the reason we cannot go at full power this Him is that the person we are connected to has got a bit corroded and needs some help; that so often we forget, esp in this individualistic world we live in here in the west what it means to be part of The Body of Christ. Oh yes we talk about it but in an abstract way that was never mean to be, when in fact we are all so connected that when one of those who feed into us are not totally sorted then it effects us.
But also what can be our tendency if and when we do see this is to go tell them and sort them out!!! But what He is saying to me through this is that firstly we should be checking our own house is in order, which we do through prayer and checking with Him, and then we call Him in as He is the only one who knows totally how to handle the power that is needed to change people, to clean their connections up, which can only be done through prayer and then leaving Him to it. If we had tried to touch those cables we would've died the power was so great.
I believe He was saying to me that too often we don't understand the awesomeness of His power and we treat it lightly rather than treating it with the respect it all deserves.
In the end last Weds all the electricity went off, not a fuse or trip switch was blown, and then by doing nothing it came back on about 15 mins later.
So Thurs we called a friend and got the number of her tame electrician and phone him. He appeared about 5.30 and couldn't find a thing wrong though had some theories, but was very clear that it was not our fault, nothing was wrong with any of the electricity in our house. So we called out the national electricity providers, in the case Southern Electric. First they sent a sort of electrical paramedic guy who said we needed the men with the ladder, so they duly arrived.
Anyway it was discovered that it was nothing to do with us at all, but our electricity comes from a box on our neighbour's house, goes down thick cables firstly into her house, then out of there and into our house. And what had happened was that the out-terminal which would then take electricity to our house was corroded and so we didn't get a free flow. That has since been fixed and we now have lights that are brighter than ever and clocks that tell the same time!!
But what God said to me is sometimes the reason we cannot go at full power this Him is that the person we are connected to has got a bit corroded and needs some help; that so often we forget, esp in this individualistic world we live in here in the west what it means to be part of The Body of Christ. Oh yes we talk about it but in an abstract way that was never mean to be, when in fact we are all so connected that when one of those who feed into us are not totally sorted then it effects us.
But also what can be our tendency if and when we do see this is to go tell them and sort them out!!! But what He is saying to me through this is that firstly we should be checking our own house is in order, which we do through prayer and checking with Him, and then we call Him in as He is the only one who knows totally how to handle the power that is needed to change people, to clean their connections up, which can only be done through prayer and then leaving Him to it. If we had tried to touch those cables we would've died the power was so great.
I believe He was saying to me that too often we don't understand the awesomeness of His power and we treat it lightly rather than treating it with the respect it all deserves.
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Last Times
How often do we celebrate the last time we do something? How often does it pass us by?
This all started with something Ian had been discussing with other climbing instructors but feel it was a bit of a God prompt.
Since him coming home with that things have changed greatly in our lives what with Tabi deciding to go to college so home ed has come to an abrupt end, to Ben deciding not to continue with college and get a job - sort of making him grown up, or at least in the tax paying world. Added to that the fact that Ian and I are being more and more drawn into things here in our town from hooking up more and more with a congregation here to him getting work with people in our town. But have we remembered that last time things.
Oh every time we go on holiday the 4 of us Ian and I at least look at it as though this could be the last time both Ben and Tabi want to come with us. In fact even trips surfing and birthdays together can be looked at often as "this could be the last one". In fact Ben is talking of going skiing for his birthday next year. But even though we wondered on the last one if that was the last we were actually afraid to voice it, like with the holidays because even though it could be the last we sort of hope it won't be.
There are things with Tabi suddenly deciding to go to college that we will never be able to acknowledge that they were the last of ... like the social group meeting which stopped suddenly as once we didn't have the car, then she got involved with helping with this riding stable, and now we just aren't going; the indoor swimming pool trips which change to an outdoor pool around May time which of course at the time we planned to go back to; the debating which finished about 6 weeks ago and couldn't fit in one this month due to people starting to have holidays; this isn't home school related but I realized I missed that last time I read a story to my kids; - though there are many other things that as yet are not the last times but we always, I feel, need to be holding each moment as if it was the last time, treasuring it.
Oh we could be melancholy but that would be so wrong. We need to rejoice and be glad and just cherish each precious moment, and possible even with our teens cherish those aggressive pushes for independence that so hurt but are so important.
I am going to try to learn to cherish each moment and really live each day in that Glory that God means us to - that fullness of life that Jesus spoke of.
This all started with something Ian had been discussing with other climbing instructors but feel it was a bit of a God prompt.
Since him coming home with that things have changed greatly in our lives what with Tabi deciding to go to college so home ed has come to an abrupt end, to Ben deciding not to continue with college and get a job - sort of making him grown up, or at least in the tax paying world. Added to that the fact that Ian and I are being more and more drawn into things here in our town from hooking up more and more with a congregation here to him getting work with people in our town. But have we remembered that last time things.
Oh every time we go on holiday the 4 of us Ian and I at least look at it as though this could be the last time both Ben and Tabi want to come with us. In fact even trips surfing and birthdays together can be looked at often as "this could be the last one". In fact Ben is talking of going skiing for his birthday next year. But even though we wondered on the last one if that was the last we were actually afraid to voice it, like with the holidays because even though it could be the last we sort of hope it won't be.
There are things with Tabi suddenly deciding to go to college that we will never be able to acknowledge that they were the last of ... like the social group meeting which stopped suddenly as once we didn't have the car, then she got involved with helping with this riding stable, and now we just aren't going; the indoor swimming pool trips which change to an outdoor pool around May time which of course at the time we planned to go back to; the debating which finished about 6 weeks ago and couldn't fit in one this month due to people starting to have holidays; this isn't home school related but I realized I missed that last time I read a story to my kids; - though there are many other things that as yet are not the last times but we always, I feel, need to be holding each moment as if it was the last time, treasuring it.
Oh we could be melancholy but that would be so wrong. We need to rejoice and be glad and just cherish each precious moment, and possible even with our teens cherish those aggressive pushes for independence that so hurt but are so important.
I am going to try to learn to cherish each moment and really live each day in that Glory that God means us to - that fullness of life that Jesus spoke of.
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
So Much Going On!
I am blogging just because I should be putting curtains back up and have got bored with Facebook. How often when things just get too much for us do we hide and procrastinate?
We are going through loads of change and all of it is good! But there is a lot of it and at times, after listening through the prayer podcasts from 24/7 prayer for the last week for Europe I feel a bit of a fraud with what I do and how I spend my time. Yes I am totally passionate about wanting to change the world, to want to see justice come, but I often feel like a rabbit in the headlights.
How many poor people do I know? Do I really want to leave my comfort zone to go find them?
With some much changing in our household I do feel that I am hanging on to precious family time at the moment and then wondering if I should. I am also suffering a bit from exhaustion brought on by stress and transition - continuous transition from childhood I realised the other day. You know I haven't had the same address for more than 7 years in a row, and when I was in a static address generally the world was madly changing around me!
But I do find that much as I would love to be out there finding the poor wherever they are, I also want to spend some precious few times still building memories with Ben and Tabi and integrating them with Ian, and Ian with them, and how do I find the energy for it all, especially as I am becoming more and more introverted?
And then on top of all this God comes along - I am presuming its God because it came about whilst I was praying - and downloads all this stuff for me to do, which actually seems to be more about empowering people and releasing more with our thoughts on "Inspiring Heroes" than to moving to be with the poor.
Maybe this is a time when I need to trust that Dad knows best and just stay close to The One who we all know knows we are awesome and knows the plans He has for us.
So I am having to learn that even though there are thing I feel I ought to do there are plans that He has made for me before the beginning of time and I have to trust Him with me and mine and let Him lead.
But it still seems to mean that there is so much going on!! :-)
We are going through loads of change and all of it is good! But there is a lot of it and at times, after listening through the prayer podcasts from 24/7 prayer for the last week for Europe I feel a bit of a fraud with what I do and how I spend my time. Yes I am totally passionate about wanting to change the world, to want to see justice come, but I often feel like a rabbit in the headlights.
How many poor people do I know? Do I really want to leave my comfort zone to go find them?
With some much changing in our household I do feel that I am hanging on to precious family time at the moment and then wondering if I should. I am also suffering a bit from exhaustion brought on by stress and transition - continuous transition from childhood I realised the other day. You know I haven't had the same address for more than 7 years in a row, and when I was in a static address generally the world was madly changing around me!
But I do find that much as I would love to be out there finding the poor wherever they are, I also want to spend some precious few times still building memories with Ben and Tabi and integrating them with Ian, and Ian with them, and how do I find the energy for it all, especially as I am becoming more and more introverted?
And then on top of all this God comes along - I am presuming its God because it came about whilst I was praying - and downloads all this stuff for me to do, which actually seems to be more about empowering people and releasing more with our thoughts on "Inspiring Heroes" than to moving to be with the poor.
Maybe this is a time when I need to trust that Dad knows best and just stay close to The One who we all know knows we are awesome and knows the plans He has for us.
So I am having to learn that even though there are thing I feel I ought to do there are plans that He has made for me before the beginning of time and I have to trust Him with me and mine and let Him lead.
But it still seems to mean that there is so much going on!! :-)
Friday, 12 June 2009
Need to Look Within To Stop the Traffik
Thought I would put this comment I have just put on "Amazed and Confused"'s blog in response to the 24/7 prayer podcast to do with the modern pandemic of slavery -
"There are some of us who have been discussing though what is wrong with our nation. Our nation is sick because it wants/needs these prostitutes, these drugs. We need also to let the light of God shine on those who use these young girls for sex, who need to have sex with a stranger. As one friend said as soon as you rescue one of these girls another is put in her place.
Yes we need to be praying and dealing with this slave trade but also we need to be looking inside out own hearts and our own nation to deal with the sickness here.
We need to look at our shopping habits to check what we are buying isn't helping the slave trade.
Why do they need to be organ donors? Is this because we do not allow own relatives organs to be give because we don't see the need?
Again I say yes we need to be involved with Stop the Traffick, with prayer initiatives to stop this, with other organisations who are working to stop this, but also we need to look inside ourselves and inside our nation!"
"There are some of us who have been discussing though what is wrong with our nation. Our nation is sick because it wants/needs these prostitutes, these drugs. We need also to let the light of God shine on those who use these young girls for sex, who need to have sex with a stranger. As one friend said as soon as you rescue one of these girls another is put in her place.
Yes we need to be praying and dealing with this slave trade but also we need to be looking inside out own hearts and our own nation to deal with the sickness here.
We need to look at our shopping habits to check what we are buying isn't helping the slave trade.
Why do they need to be organ donors? Is this because we do not allow own relatives organs to be give because we don't see the need?
Again I say yes we need to be involved with Stop the Traffick, with prayer initiatives to stop this, with other organisations who are working to stop this, but also we need to look inside ourselves and inside our nation!"
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Ironic
I don't know about you but I found it all rather ironic that the BNP and UKIP won seats in the European elections when their whole thing is to get rid of foreigners and get us out of Europe.
How can they be in something they so blatantly don't agree with? And how could anyone vote for someone into something they don't agree with?
Interesting times we live in!
How can they be in something they so blatantly don't agree with? And how could anyone vote for someone into something they don't agree with?
Interesting times we live in!
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Needing to Know We Deserve It
If we don't think we deserve it then interestingly many people do not ask. And this can come to God and prayer too. If I believe I am able to ask God for anything and that He takes note of me I will ask for anything. If I think I am unworthy and don't deserve anything then I will not ask.
At an interesting family meal because I have reached a point, not a a cocky way but in a way of living out that I am the child of the maker of the universe, I was able to ask for many things from the restaurant staff with a smile, which made things happen.
Ian has been pondering on the verse in Revelation about how our prayers are gathered in a bowl that God then pours out and really has been feeling that so many people don't believe this and so don't pray with passion and expectation. In fact they don't believe they deserve God to hear their prayers and so don't "go for it", don't join with others to pray, and don't get excited about prayer. do
There is also the thing that often when we pray God does not answer in our timing, doesn't do it as quickly as we would like which again can set off the "I don't deserve it and God doesn't care" mentality.
Once we can get our heads round the fact in humility that we are the chosen children of the King of Kings, that because of that we deserve to speak to Our Dad, the Father of the universe, that He will gather those things up for us, and will "make things happen" but in His timing, then I wonder, I just wonder how much bolder we would be in asking?
At an interesting family meal because I have reached a point, not a a cocky way but in a way of living out that I am the child of the maker of the universe, I was able to ask for many things from the restaurant staff with a smile, which made things happen.
Ian has been pondering on the verse in Revelation about how our prayers are gathered in a bowl that God then pours out and really has been feeling that so many people don't believe this and so don't pray with passion and expectation. In fact they don't believe they deserve God to hear their prayers and so don't "go for it", don't join with others to pray, and don't get excited about prayer. do
There is also the thing that often when we pray God does not answer in our timing, doesn't do it as quickly as we would like which again can set off the "I don't deserve it and God doesn't care" mentality.
Once we can get our heads round the fact in humility that we are the chosen children of the King of Kings, that because of that we deserve to speak to Our Dad, the Father of the universe, that He will gather those things up for us, and will "make things happen" but in His timing, then I wonder, I just wonder how much bolder we would be in asking?
Monday, 1 June 2009
Dreams
I know Jayne and Graham may accuse me of "thought theft" but I was getting somewhere with this before they said this!
My thoughts with this started when I was singing the other day at church and the lines "in my wildest dreams, in my darkest hour" stuck with me. And I was thinking that so often when we have really wild dreams and can feel that something is stirring to bring them to fruition that it can be a really dark place.
RT Kendall says something along these lines in "The Anointing" of how those with "tomorrow's anointing" often feel like no one understands them and they do not have the words to articulate what God is saying to them in a way anyone understands. Some of this is because what they have is new and maybe the words are there but the concepts haven't yet come into people's heads yet.
So one's wildest dreams can be one's darkest hour because one does need to have that special faith from God to know that one can make this happen.
Jayne and Graham were taking about a dream they had but of how they didn't want to make it a reality because it may not be as good as the dream
How often do we all get into that place? We know this dream is from God. We spend ages praying. Ages putting together His plan for this dream. But then there is that fear that because we will then have to include other people in this dream because "no man is an island" they might just spoil it all.
This is where we need to have that extra faith that this is of God and He is in total control and He will make it happen.
Lisa in "Let's put the kettle on" talks of how sharing their dreams with a friend actually reawaken them for her and Byron and help to make them come more alive. This is what she says "I suppose it sounds ridiculous but there are times when it's good to be reminded that our dreams are good, exciting and worth going after.
Dave's enthusiasm for the dreams in our hearts and the way we're already realizing parts of them was refreshment on the way.
Friendship kindled and dreams shared, it makes a difference, doesn't it? "
To me this says that even when we are scared of airing those dreams we do need to share them with trusted friends to keep them alive and bring them to fruition. And also this will keep helping us to see if God is in the centre of them.
My thoughts with this started when I was singing the other day at church and the lines "in my wildest dreams, in my darkest hour" stuck with me. And I was thinking that so often when we have really wild dreams and can feel that something is stirring to bring them to fruition that it can be a really dark place.
RT Kendall says something along these lines in "The Anointing" of how those with "tomorrow's anointing" often feel like no one understands them and they do not have the words to articulate what God is saying to them in a way anyone understands. Some of this is because what they have is new and maybe the words are there but the concepts haven't yet come into people's heads yet.
So one's wildest dreams can be one's darkest hour because one does need to have that special faith from God to know that one can make this happen.
Jayne and Graham were taking about a dream they had but of how they didn't want to make it a reality because it may not be as good as the dream
How often do we all get into that place? We know this dream is from God. We spend ages praying. Ages putting together His plan for this dream. But then there is that fear that because we will then have to include other people in this dream because "no man is an island" they might just spoil it all.
This is where we need to have that extra faith that this is of God and He is in total control and He will make it happen.
Lisa in "Let's put the kettle on" talks of how sharing their dreams with a friend actually reawaken them for her and Byron and help to make them come more alive. This is what she says "I suppose it sounds ridiculous but there are times when it's good to be reminded that our dreams are good, exciting and worth going after.
Dave's enthusiasm for the dreams in our hearts and the way we're already realizing parts of them was refreshment on the way.
Friendship kindled and dreams shared, it makes a difference, doesn't it? "
To me this says that even when we are scared of airing those dreams we do need to share them with trusted friends to keep them alive and bring them to fruition. And also this will keep helping us to see if God is in the centre of them.
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