Day 34 & 35, León Cathdral, Tapas and Romanian history. #45daysofsummer

We went for Tapas last night, because I said that's the one thing I'd like to do while I am here that I haven't managed to do yet! It was quite a different than what I expected. We all scrubbed up (well, the girls at least), and walked in to the city centre where they showed me the cathedral and told me stories about the history of it's construction.

Spectacular building! Shame it was too late to go inside as it was already closed when we're got there. 

Of course - cathedral selfie.

Actually not sure what this was but there were lots of hand prints so we found the one that our hands fit best.

So much detail!

El Topo is a little café / restaurant right outside the cathedral. A Topo is a 'mole' (the animal that lives underground). I think, from the story they told me, the legend is that the guy who build the cathedral found a giant mole that every night ate part of the cathedral or tried to break it down while it was being constructed. And the the skin of the mole is still inside the cathedral to this day? I think they could have been joking with me but that's apparently why that restaurant is there.

We didn't eat here, but not too far from the cathedral, we found 'my' bar haha.

Then, getting impacient with hunger, we began the hunt for a tapas bar. What I didn't realise is that they don't just go to one restaurant and order loads of plates to share.. They move from bar to bar and order drinks, and with the drinks you get a few free plates of tapas or pinchos. We ended up going to 5 different bars (not really like bars in England) and ordering little drinks like grape juice (mosto) and fizzy orange (butano) and getting sharing plates of tapas. Then after 10 minutes or so, moving on to the next place! It was such a good night - walking from place to place, getting to know some of the youth of the church and trying lots of different foods! It all felt so Spanish :) even the part in the final bar we ate in, when the waiter sent a waitress over to our table to ask for my number and I (politely as I could in my broken Spanish) said no and explained that I don't live here in Spain. When a different waiter came over to ask again for him, and to ask where I'm from, Betsy got impatient and firmly explained (slightly shouted? I'm not sure - can never tell whether their louder tone of voice is anger or just emphasis!) that we were really hungry and we would prefer him to stop asking for my number and take our order so we can eat. Haha! All very Spanish....!!!

On our way towards home before the final tapas stop. Another lovely building in León - they are some many beautiful places there. It's such a gorgeous city!

Today, Betsy, Bianca and I went round Adolfo's house for lunch - his mum invited us round to eat with them and with some of their family friends. It was a lovely afternoon and after eating we all sat round the table talking (me, listening mostly..), which is something that I have really enjoyed about the Spanish culture. After eating, they sit and chat for ages at the table and it's so chilled and relaxed - well animated and loud at the same time because that's in their nature, but I just like that!
Afterwards, anyway, we walked the dog and watched a movie (Year One, in Spanish..) before heading over to the church for the weekly prayer meeting. Admittedly, I didn't understand much from the meeting tonight - I think I was too tired. So I just read my bible for a while, and prayed for things I understood and simply gave over to God what I didn't understand. I had some good conversations after the service with people who introduced themselves to me because they didn't recognise me. I felt a lot more confident to speak with them because I'm finding that I am still understanding more and more and getting better at that. Frustratingly, the speaking part is still the most difficult part for me.

Betsy said to me tonight, "the only things we talk about are food and tiredness and whether you're happy!" Which I suppose is partly true (there is a running joke that whenever they ask me whether I am hungry / tired, I always answer 'un poco'!) But actually, it's hard when you spend a lot of time with people and have the same experiences as them throughout the day, to then talk together about those things, especially if you're with a lot of people who are fluent in the language and who talk about things as we go! However, with new people or with Bianca's family who I don't see much during the day, we have more to say to each other about the day, different things that have happened etc. But the other thing is that when there are more than a couple of people, the conversations just go so fast that I can just about keep up with what's being said and follow the conversation, but if I start to think about things to say or formulating speech in my head, I can't do that and keep up with understanding everything! I have realised that I can sit and understand pretty much all of a conversation (obviously, not every conversation - but after catching the context and general jist, I am able to follow pretty much the whole conversation!) but as soon as someone asks me a question, it fires a different part of my brain which then can't cope with listening, understanding, translating, formulating an answer and sending that to my mouth in a reasonable amount of time.. Ahh it's so hard!

But tonight on the way back from church, Mihaela and I had a conversation about our day and when we got home, she showed me a map of Romania that they have mounted on their wall. She is originally from Romania but they have lived here in Sspain for many years! She told me lots about different parts of the country, about her city and her family and friends but also about what it was like growing up as a Christian during the time of Communism there. And I was asking questions and active in the conversation, not simply listening. I found that I was hardly thinking about translating what she way saying, I was simply understanding immediately. So that was encouraging. Ooh I love seeing and feeling progress!

The map of Romania in 1938, that's up in their hall. 

Exposed.

I am privileged to know some incredibly wise people who are open and willing to walk with me through life and share some of their wisdom with me.
Tonight, I was fed and watered and extremely encouraged by a loving couple who, over the years, have invested in me, prayed for me and helped shape who I am today.

After a beautiful walk round the park, we sat a while and talked and they shared stories from their past with me. Real, honest, life stuff. Stories of love and difficulty and hope and change.

One particular phrase flicked a switch somewhere in me; a sudden realisation of truth, and a new perspective on my purpose, particularly in the job that I do working with vulnerable young people and when I begin teaching next year:

When exposed to enough love, you can't help but be changed.

Not just 'a bit' of love, but enough love. Love that doesn't give up after one mistake, or search for reciprocation.. Love that keeps going even when it hurts and gets thrown back in your face.

It saddens me to think that so many people are not exposed to enough love, enough patience and grace, to see their lives turned around, to know that moment of change.
But it reminds me again of my purpose: to love God and to love my neighbour. Not just a bit, but enough.
As followers of Jesus, are we not called to love as Jesus loved us? To expose people to the love that we have known, so fierce and relentless, that regardless of their past or current experiences, they may know the freedom and the change it brings?

For while we were sinners, Christ died for us. He showed us enough love when we didn't ask for it or deserve it.
Let us do something with that love and expose those around us to the difference it can make.

Irresistible Revolution #4

I've just got back from an evening at church, with Shane Claiborne and the Rend Collective Experiment on their Upside Down Kingdom Tour.

My mind is buzzing.

Before the evening started, I was also buzzing, with a mixed sense of excitement and nervousness.

Excitement because I've heard how awesome the Rend Collective are, and because I'm part way through one of Shane's books, he's a respected author and speaker that is renowned throughout the world for his missional heart and lifestyle... I suppose I am a little ashamed to say that I do get swept up in the awe of celebrity culture (if awe is the right word..). I can honestly say though, that this is something I'm working out with the LORD because I know that it's not really OK.

Anyway.
And nervousness because I honestly expected that Shane would come across as 'holier than thou'... Probably with some right to do so.

But he didn't. At all. He was genuinely and astonishingly humble. He was just so normal. And modest.

And very, very funny.

Dressed in his usual baggy attire, he told story upon story of experiences he'd had with the homeless in Philadelphia, with Mother Theresa in Calcutta, and numerous other stories of kids and people who he'd loved with the love of God, in the way he knew how to. Whatever that looked like at that moment in time. Just meeting needs, prefers others above himself, loving his neighbour.

But he didn't preach in a way that made the congregation feel guilty.

No, he spoke with joy and encouragement. He laughed and told jokes and the funny stories where God stepped in to a situation in quite unbelieveable and amusing ways!!

The abundant life Jesus calls us to isn't boring or dry. It's exciting, perhaps a little dangerous, on the edge, fun, joyous and FULL!

There's a lot I've been left thinking about. Hence the buzzing mind.

I took notes (always good, as I have a brain like a sieve!) so I'm just gonna put don't down some quotes from Shane's talk that stood out to me and perhaps and the days go and I get time to process them I'll write more fully about them (have put in bold ones that have particularly stood out!!):

'Christians should not be normal. They should constantly be questioning the patterns of the world.'

'The best things in life should be given away.'

No one is above reproach. And none of us are beyond redemption.'

'The closer we are to God, the less we want to throw stones at people' (my actual fave! In the light of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. So challenged about this one, and think it's very true.)

(quoted from the Iraqi guy Shane had a convo with, in reply to Shane's comment 'I'm surprised at how many Christians there are here) 'This is where it all started. America didn't invent Christianity, you know. It only domesticated it. We're praying for the church in America.'

'It's not a question of whether or not we'll be extremists, but of what sort of extremists we'll be. I want to be Extreme for love.'

'God doesn't want to change the world with out us' (another fave... so when we're asking 'Why doesn't God do anything about all the bad things in the world, we should then be asking ourselves why we aren't doing anything about all the bad things in the world - since He's given us the mandate and His Spirit, to go do something about them!!)

And finally, in answer the the question, Where do we start? Shane answered:

- Start small.

- Have a vision for family bigger than biology.

- in Matt 25, when Jesus asks us questions about our life, the questions aren't doctrinal. They're relational and practical, did you feed the hungry, clothe the naked, tend the sick, visit the imprisoned, house the homeless? Bear that in mind!

Phew.

So much deep stuff tonight. Along with an incredible set from the Rend Collective. Talented, Worshipful, fun musicians using their gifts for God's glory and to edify the church.

Beautiful.

There has definitely some stuff been stirred up in me and God has and is pointing out a few areas for my 'starting small'...

Starting today.

(make sure you have a listen!)

Irresistible Revolution #3

I now carry Irresistible Revolution with me in the bottom of my bag when I go out, in case I get a spare moment and a chance to get stuck in. As well as my bookmark, loose sheets of notepaper mark my pages so I can write notes as I go, on parts that particularly stick out to me or challenge me. I'm really making an effort to not give up reading this one!

To date, I have read up to page 39 (which consists of the Foreword by Jim Wallis, Introduction, The Authors Note and the first few pages of Chapter One). I wanted to blog some of my thoughts to help me properly digest what I'm reading, so I'll post a quote and let my thoughts run on it..

‘The whisper cries out for God to save the church from us Christians and breathe new life in to the aging body.’[1]
I think the reason this passage stood out is because of the 'saving the church from us Christians' part. Firstly, it makes me think of the quote from Brennan Manning, 'The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians - who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, and walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.' It makes me sad. Sad to think that I'm probably one of the Christians that is being spoken about here... But secondly, it makes me think that surely, all Christians can not be represented here. There are some who have got it right, who are so stained with the mark of Christ, so full and over-flowing with the Spirit that the joy of God in them bubbles over and reaches out to those around them, like a breath of fresh air. If the whole body was 'aging' and decaying, we wouldn't be bearing fruit would we?

‘New prophets are rising up who try to change the future, not just predict it.’[2]
This makes me excited and nervous..
Excited because to me, this is a sign that God is moving and that people are taking Him and their gifts seriously, these 'new prophets rising up'. Excited because change is occurring. And because prophets tell of what God is doing and going to do and we get the chance to be involved in this.
But it makes me nervous because prophets were the ones who God sent when Israel was in a state, ignoring Him, and in desperate need of rescuing. I know the world is in that state already, but most people aren't listening to the prophets. A lot of people don't care.. It also makes me nervous because Jesus warned us about false prophets and it's our responsibility to discern what is true from what is false...
Harold Camping for example, whilst in essence doing the right thing by investing time and finance to warn people about the end times, was false in predicting the date and time of Christ's return, and his eschatology was debatable... But his example does lead to questions like, what are we seriously doing to warn people of Christs return? And what else are we doing other than informing people of the after-life? Are we loving and serving? Are we meeting the needs of the needy? Providing for our children in the future? For our children’s children…? Are we showing people the life of joy and freedom that is available to us today, not just in the future?

‘The truth is that much stands in the way of God’s will for the world.’[3]
Yes. Earthly, material things. But Christians too probably.

‘If I’m awesome we have a problem… only God is awesome.’[4]
Originally I was worried about what the book was gonna be like, and what Claiborne's attitude was gonna be. I didn’t really know what to expect, but figured that he might take the view that he’s right and I’m probably wrong, and that I need to be a better Christian so here’s how to do it... I'm coming to realise that that's my default way of thinking when faced with someone who I assume to be superior to me in theology / spirituality / intelligence / general life cirmcumstnace etc.etc. That I'm gonna be told that I'm wrong, and I should do better.
Anyway, perhaps this is why this phrase stood out to me coz already throughout the book, it's clear that Claiborne thinks of himself as very ordinary, and normal. He's down-to-earth and I haven’t detected a hint of an attitude anything like what I thought I might. He is honest, blunt, and challenging (even in the author’s note!) but he’s not arrogant and he knows that God is the only one worthy of glory and exultation through this.

OK so I've run out of time to write.. I'll continue the next time I get a moment! So far so good though I think, and I'm really enjoying this!

---

[1] Claiborne, Shane. The Irresistible Revolution (Michigan: Zondervan, 2006), 23.

[2] Claiborne, 24.

[3] Claiborne, 25.

[4] Claiborne, 27.

God at Work.

"I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Matt 28:20)

Jesus' promise to His disciples, and to us.

He is with us and He never leaves us.

"I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever - the Spirit of truth." (John 14:16)

I know that God is with me all the time. In my head I know this and I cling to that knowledge, even when I can't feel Him. Even when prayers don't seem to get answered, or when promises aren't fulfilled as quick as I want them to be. Even when I don't feel happy, when I don't feel the joy of the LORD.

Good job my faith is not reliant on my feelings.

"Faith is...assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1)

And sometimes, faith is all I have. Sometimes I have to reach out anyway, even though I can't see or feel what it is I believe in.

But every so often, there comes a time when I do feel the presence of God, so gentle yet so real in my life. I don't cling to these experiences, but I enjoy them. I am refreshed and built up by them.

As we worshiped on Sunday in church, I knew He was there, I could physically feel His presence and felt His gentle nudging to trust Him, to step out. It's usually an emotional experience for me when God moves like that and I cry although I'm not sad. But there is just this peace, and contentment, and a gentle power.

Tonight, again, I could feel Him.

It's more than simply knowing in my head that God is there. It's knowing in my heart, with my heart. And it's knowing with every fibre of my being that there is more to this life that simply what is seen.

My friend Helen has recently joined our Exec Committee for CU. She is becoming a very good friend of mine. And over the time I have a known her, I've prayed for her a few times, that God would heal her back. She suffers with tension and pain in her lower back and has done for a few years. I think it's increased by stress too, so with exams over the past couple of weeks, and more to come, it's been a somewhat stressful and painful few weeks for her.

Tonight, our God who is Healer, took away the pain and tension she was feeling in her back and she was healed completely.

It's more than simply knowing the God is there. It's seeing it with my eyes, and experiencing it with others. It's seeing human frailty and weakness, restored and healed in Jesus' name by the One true God, who is living and active, and knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was the LORD at work. Amidst us.
What an honour.

And this God, lives in me.

What an honour.

I want this temple to be the best it can be for my LORD. Because He deserves my all and He is more than worth it.

Stained.

I read an email from a friend today, and I'm sure she won't mind me sharing, but in it was written one of the most beautiful sentences I think I've ever read;

...and [some] days I am so full of His love and presence, it overflows and stains everything I do and think with his grace and holiness...

I don't get many days like that.

But I desire that so much.

So much.

That the love and presence of God would fill me so full, I would be unable to contain it!! It would overflow and soak everything around me.

That His love and presence might stain all that I do and say and think.

Stain.

Not stain as in to tarnish or soil or dirty. No, a stain from God is different.

To be stained by God is to be marked with an indelible marker. This mark is a seal, an imprint.

Oh how I wish my God would stain me. Ruin me for anything or anyone else but Him.

Put His mark all over me to show that I am His, and He is mine.

And then I remember, He has already done this. I have already been purchased. The ransom has already been paid.

A cross.

Three nails.

The spotless lamb, crowned with thorns and mocked as He sacrificed himself.

The King.

Christ's blood stains me. It stains me, and marks me as His.

This stain cleanses me.

And now I can stand before the King, one of His.

A child.

A friend.

A servant.

I am stained.

I am pure.

I am free.

Good News!

I feel like I've been such a big moaner lately, and I've been having a complete downer on Christians too. I'm really sorry about that.

This is my formal apology, and I'd like to tell you about my morning in hope it counteracts my recent negativity...

After time in the Word with God this morning I went for a shower, only to find that we had no hot water... after phoning to inform someone of this, I proceeded to boil the kettle, add it to cold water in the sink and wash my hair that way.. I then got a text from my friend that she'd overslept and might not be able to make it to church today...

It seemed like it was going to be one of those days.

Even so, I took joy and peace in knowing that I am blessed to own a Bible, God's living word, and be able to read it. I am one of a privileged minority, to have access to clean water, be it hot or cold. And I also have the freedom to actually go to a church and worship without fear of persecution.

This reflects my every day.

Lord help me to be thankful and grateful for all that I have, give me the strength to let go and not hold on to worthless things, and help me to give more generously where there is need, and to those who don't have.

So Tamsin made it on time for the pick up this morning, despite sleeping through her alarm, hurray! (Tamsin is a new and rather awesome friend of mine from the CU at Keele!)

And waiting in the SU Carpark for us was a lovely gentleman called Stuart, who had driven twenty minutes out of his way this morning, to take us to church. We got tea and toast when we arrived, and were given a tour of the building by a nice girl, Lauren.

We made our way outside, to the Town Square, for the Remembrance Service. We sang and prayed and read scripture, we stood in silence for 2 minutes, and reflected as the wreaths were laid and salutes were given, in honour of all those who died that we might live.

I sat next to a beautiful older couple, when we returned indoors for the rest of the service; Marjory and Peter, who's granddaughter is named Jemma and is in her 2nd year at Keele.

I stood side by side with Tamsin, young and passionate, on my right, and Marjory, experienced and full of wisdom, on my left. And we worshipped our God together.

This morning, people went over and above to make sure Tamsin and I got to and from church and felt comfortable and welcomed whilst we were there. They loved us the way Jesus loves them, in small and simple ways, but still..

We remembered those who fought and died in Wars long since past, the heroes of our country, the ones who secured the freedom of our nation. We remembered those who are still fighting, serving our brothers and sisters in other countries, sacrificing comfort and time with family, to try and secure the freedom of other nations.

People, old and young, believers and non-believers remembered today.

Remembered the sacrifice of a few, to save many.

People, old and young, believers and non-believers heard today.

They heard of the sacrifice of One, to save many.

The Good News was preached today. All around the world.

And some people will not only have heard, but will have responded.

Those in war-torn countries and in countries at peace, those with and without access to clean water, those facing persecution because of their faith, those worshipping in the open, those who can read, those who can't, the old, the young, men, women, children...

The Good News is for everyone.

May it never cease to be preached.

Amen.

1 Corinthians 2:2

"For I decide that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified."

christian.

I've been thinking lately of how much I don't like this word.
Well I have no problem with the word itself I suppose. The noun form is fine, too.

But the adjective I have a problem with.

Nowadays this word has so many uses.

It conjures up so many images, and memories and historical references.

So many negative connotations. So many rules, and judgements and fears...

Rob Bell talks about the use of this word as an adjective, a describing word. Sometimes it works, but at other times it's dangerous.

It puts pressure on us.

It reminds of all the rules and laws, the things we should avoid or stop doing or give up.

Today the word 'Christian' seems scary and is avoided at all costs (unless used as the focal point in most stand up comedy routines).

To talk about 'Christian' things seems foolish, to be a Christian is even worse.

Because it's no longer just a title, it's the description of a lifestyle - one associated with self-righteousness and hypocrisy.

And therefore those who are Christian, are embarrassed*, those who aren't are glad.

(*I know that's not strictly true.. I am proud to call myself a Christian, and there are many others who are too, in the true sense of the world..)

It shouldn't be like this.

Most of all, the word 'Christian' seems all too far removed from the concept of grace.

And that's not right.

We need grace.

Desperately.

Without grace, there is no meaning to the cross. Without grace Jesus was just a crazy guy who died a sinner's death for treason and blasphemy, and nothing more.

Without grace there wouldn't have even been a guy called Jesus. The Messiah. The One who Saves.

There would be no Christ. No one would be saved.

No Christ to save = No saved, to be called Christians.

No, we need grace you see.

Because we're dirty, and sinful and wretched. And we need to be saved. Remember? Like filthy, old rags before a pure and perfect God? Without grace we stay that way.

Without grace, we work for our salvation. We try at least.

And through this we have created a monster of a religion, full of rules, regulations, denominations and discrimination. A religion that focuses on works, on standards, on ability to not slip up or fall to the dark side or get things wrong.

Oh, how far we have fallen from our first love!

I don't know how it got like this. We've forgotten the fundamentals of our faith. We have forgotten what the Word tells us:

For God so loved the world, He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)

And while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)

He himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness (1 Peter 2:24)

Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life (Romans 6:4)

For it is by grace that we are saved, through faith (Ephesians 2:8)

Praise God!

Our actual religion is centred on the cross, which is God's way of displaying grace to us, the least deserving.

The World needs to hear about the love, grace and forgiveness that is offered to us by God, through Christ's sacrifice.

That's the only way they're saved. He's the only one that matters.

Instead of our lives preaching do's and don't's, our lives should reflect the fullness of Christ. We should be displaying love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

We are Christians because we are follower's of Christ, the One who saved us. And we are being made more like Him each day.

So lets start living like it.

They were first called 'Christians' at Antioch. (Acts 11:26)

I, indirectly, got called an f***ing moron today...

I'm tired, and I'm having one of those days where I just can't be bothered.

There's a lot of work that I should be doing, but I really just don't want to.

I feel lonely today.

And a little doubtful.

And I'm not sure what I'm doing here.

But I'll press on. And keep faith.

For faith is being sure of what I hope for, and certain of what I do not see.

I'm hoping for the future He has for me. I hoping this is all what He says it is.

I am certain, or I will try to be - though I do not see.

Because the most important things in life are the things we can't see.

I can't see the love that I feel for my family and my friends, but I can feel it. It's important, and it keeps me alive.

I can't feel the oxygen in the air. But I know I breathe it in. It's important. And it keeps me alive.

Even when there's no clock around to tell me, I know time exists. But I can't see it, I can't necessarily feel it.

I have enough reason to believe that these three things are real.

Yet I have not seen any of them. Have you?

And I can't see God. Not yet.

But for the most part, I can feel Him.

And when I can't feel Him, it doesn't mean He's not there.

'I've learnt to reach out just the same.'

For I believe that God is who He says He is.

He is always with me. He is enough. He is mighty to save. He is able. He is compassionate. He is love. He is.

The Bible may just seem like an old book. But it is full of truth, that not only was true once upon a time, it continues to be true. Even today.

Either God is the God of all things, or He is not God at all.

God, by nature of being 'God' can not lie, and can not fall short of anything He claims to be. If He did, He would cease to be God.

God (god)

- n

1. theol The sole Supreme Being, eternal, spiritual and transcendent, who is the creator and ruler of all, and is infinite in all attributes...

When people say Christians are fools (or a 'f***ing morons') for believing in a higher power, for believing that there is a God that created all things, I can't help but think, 'Really? You think we're fools?'

OK so say there was no God then, we would rely on the assumption that from nothing, the earth and everything in it, became what it is now, by random chance, and for no apparent reason.

Is that what we should believe?!!

Surely this is harder to believe, than believing in some form of higher power or creator.

You can't possibly call me a fool!

I may not have it all right, but God, whatever and whoever He is, exists.

I know it.

And I know there's more to the story, but for now I'm leaving it there.

I pray that the people I love will understand this, one day, before it's too late.

I pray that I'm a good example, that I will be evidence enough, and that I won't give in to pride and not use every opportunity I can to help them see.

I pray that open eyes, would not just be open, but they would also be able to see.

Will truth prevail?

I believe so.

Praise be to God.

I Survived

I returned yesterday, from a week away at a Christian festival / camp called Momentum.

http://www.soulsurvivor.com/uk/momentum/

It's the highlight of any young Christian's year, without a doubt. I haven't been for the past three years and oh! how I've missed it.

I missed the amazing worship, the foreshadowing of Heaven, singing God's praises side by side with just a fraction his church, giving Him all the glory. I missed Mike Pilavachi, his bad (but really funny) jokes and his banter with Crofty and Tim Hughes. I missed actively seeking God and expecting Him to move in big ways. I missed Soul Survivor Hot Chocolate.

I got to experience all this stuff in the past week!

One thing I haven't missed, however, is camping in torrential rain. By torrential, i mean TORRENTIAL. Severe weather warnings. Flooded tents (not mine, thank the LORD). Joggers so wet I could ring them out. The unfortunate realization that 'shower proof' is not waterproof.

But I survived.

And not only did I survive, I got to hang out with some completely awesome people.

Samantha Lola - the girl who made it happen, who wore her wellies all week, who stayed up late with me talking about boys, and who let me sleep in her tent so I could stay (remotely) dry.
Becky - the girl who lives in paris, who took a slight detour off the M5 to meet me in McDonald's and drive me to Shepton Mallet, who was using the burner when it exploded, who got just as fed up with the rain as I did, and who has a date tomorrow night that she's very excited about!!
Ben - the guy who I'd already heard about, who is wayyy over 6 feet tall, who pretended he had nothing nice to say when actually he really did, who I think only had one shower the whole week.
Jessie & Jeff - the couple who camped with us, who spent a lot of time cuddling, and who usually knew all the answers.
Rachael - the girls who's from the south, who came a few days later than the rest of us, who didn't bring much with her, who is also starting Uni this year, and who knew just what to say to make people laugh!
David - the guy with the beard who I met in Canada, who sat with us most evenings in the main meeting, who's mom is a LEGEND, and who I'm slightly jealous of as he's going back to Canada in two weeks.
Lea - the girl from home who has been camping for about 75% of this summer, who hadn't showered in a while and yet still looked hott, who I already miss since we, once again, live in different places, and who introduced me to the following people (thank you!).
Beckie - the girl who persuaded me to sing open mic by pretending that God was texting me (I don't regret one moment! thank you!), who has incredible hair, even after 5 days of camping, and who fell over three times in two days.
Immi & Ellie - the twins who I finally got to meet, who sang on the first night of Open Mic and set the bar high, who couldn't wait to hear me sing and therefore made me feel good, who have the most unusual fashion sense but who always look amazing.
Karl - the guy who I met at Xtreme, who had never been camping before this week (except that time when he was 11), who got in touch, and who graciously let me bore his head off with my incessant ramblings about Christians, theology, my dreams of being famous blah blah...

Proverbs 27:17
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another".

Thank you God, for meeting with me this week, in a quiet but real way. For surrounding me with encouraging people who love and look out for me. For providing me with friends and acquaintances whom I can both sharpen, and be sharpened by.

Pray like you've never prayed before.

I was just reminded of something I wanted to post.

Part way through the worship tonight, Pastor Mark Burchell did a little talky bit and offered people the chance to say "I Will" to God's call on their life. As we began to pray for those who went forward, he encouraged us to pray like we've never prayed before.

I thought to myself, well that's not gonna happen.
Not because I'm cynical, or didn't want to pray!!
Instead because it reminded me of the time I prayed with more passion and vigour and desperation than I have ever before.

I wrote it down. Let me tell you the story..

I went on a Christian High School Retreat with Rebecca and Robin one week last September, we were somewhere about 4 hours north of Vancouver, BC. We had an awesome time, especially when chatting with the few students who were really going for God and who were striving to make a difference in their school and community.

But most of the other students had grown up in this Christian School and didn’t seem remotely interested in living out any sort of faith. And it made me angry. A righteous anger that caused me to pray and cry out for them as they sang ‘Hosanna’ with no integrity or understanding of what they were singing.
In apathy, they simply sang along to the nice tunes, and sat down when the songs finished.

Now I’ve been guilty of this before too. I’m not judging them for it. And I know some of the students were actually worshipping, but it just my heart broke for those who weren’t; those that had been taught the truth year after year, but still didn’t actually know it.

Apathy is a way the devil tries to steal, kill and destroy. Steal passion, kill joy, and destroy a generation of youth who could rise up with selfless faith and preach Jesus to a dying world. If only they won’t slip away in to a life of apathy.

Jesus said He came to give life. Life in all it’s fullness.
A life on the edge, a life that counts for something. A life that doesn’t slip away in to non-existence, but one that stands out and rises up. Radical. Extreme. Alive.

That’s the way I want to live.

“The spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”
(Isaiah 61:1-2 / Luke 4:18)

Isaiah prophesied it. Jesus fulfilled it. But He said that we would do even greater things than He did.
Jesus in me is fulfilling this. And as I cry out to Him for the broken-hearted, for the captives, for the prisoners, I know he is binding, freeing and releasing them. I believe it.

A friend of Jess’ recently gave her life to Christ (recently to the time of writing! It was around October 2009 sort of time.) In fact, I met her the summer before that, and at that time she had no idea who Jesus was. His name was merely a cuss word.
Eight weeks after meeting her, she met her Saviour. And her life, which had literally been filled with rejection and pain and anger, until the age of 21, has been radically turned around. And she’s now one of the boldest Christians I ever met. Her facebook status regularly updates us with her growing love for God and her knowledge of how she’s accepted and loved by a God so much greater than her circumstances.

It angers me that her two young children don’t live with her because of choices in her past, and that she hasn’t got a home, and that her family now ridicule her for believing in Jesus… that her situation is so much worse than mine, but yet she’s more grateful, joyful and full of hope than I am. Even though we know the same God. The God who provides and loves and has for us a glorious hope and future.

I've heard it said that converts to Christianity are more passionate than Christians who have simply grown up going to Church.
That makes me angry.
Coz I'm one who grew up going to church. And I wish I was more passionate.

That righteous anger I felt for the students, and for Jess' friend returned a couple of weeks later too.
My mom had emailed me that day, with an update on a family issue that had been going on for at least two months. And the situation hadn't seemed to have gotten any better. During weeks between the accident happening, and me getting mom's update about it I had gotten so caught up in Pais and work and Canada, that I had completely forgotten about it and stopped praying.

I was angry that I’d forgotten, and that I take for granted everything God gives to me.

I felt so convicted.

And so I prayed. And I mean, really prayed. I cried out. Literally, on my knees in Jess' bedroom, crying out to Jesus.
For forgiveness to forgetting, for Jess’ friend, for my family, for the ‘Christian’ students who aren’t living it out, for the ones who just found Jesus, and the ones that are yet to find Him.

To me, these are the broken-hearted, the captives, and the prisoners.

The girls, Jess and Tera prayed too; we prayed together. And God reminded me of Isaiah 54,

“Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood.”
And then of chapter 61. “He will bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
And then chapter 62. “Because I love Zion, I will not keep still. Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.”

I love the people in this world. I really do. My heart yearns for God’s people who don’t know Him yet, my family who don’t know him yet; I can’t remain silent.
And, right then, I didn’t want to stop praying for them until God did something.

Of course, I did stop. And life carried on. I quickly forgot and became distracted.
But I do remember, every so often. And of course, ten months on, God has answered some prayers and worked miracles. But there are new things going on that I need to be praying about, and there are still those students, who I'll probably never meet again, who still need to know Jesus. There are those I know, whose lives are wrought with consequences from past mistakes. Those who are desperate, poor, broken-hearted, hurt and in pain, anxious and confused...

And now I'm writing I feel like I'm back in that place, where I don't want to stop praying. Until God does something. Until their situations change. Until their ashes are beauty, their mourning is joy and their despair is praise. Until they meet their Saviour. Until they know my God.

I need to pray for them. And I need to proclaim the good news. It’s what I was made for.

When we become a leader, it’s our choice and our right to do whatever we want with our time. But it’s also our responsibility during this time to choose to pray. To cry out. To not cease, until God completes what He started.

“Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. Give the Lord no rest until he completes His work.” Isaiah 62 :6-7.

We’re almost there.
He won’t be long. But there’s still work to be done. There are still people that don’t know.

So don’t stop praying.