Challenged to use the past for good...

It's been an interesting day...


Normally I can sit down and write away on my essay's with thoughts coming and going, inspirational ones...pointless ones...rather peculiar ones...


Yet today, I managed an introduction, done some prep work amongst other things and had to leave it there..
My mind was somewhere else today...I've had the song "I will rise'' playing pretty much most of the day...and along with the kindly reminder that we aren't to dwell on the past but learn from our biggest mistakes and turn them into the biggest life changers!


Are we rising from our past...from our mistakes...from our troubles? Or as I wrongly 'thought' today, we should just leave it in the past and slot it into our forgetful part of the human mind?...


I would challenge us to look to what scripture says on this subject...


'For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.' Romans 15:4


Just as everything which was written in the past was written to teach us and through the endurance taught in the Scriptures we have hope! I believe everything which was done in the past is there to teach us so that through the endurance which was taught in the past... we have hope! 


Hope in a God who is Love
Hope in a God who is Hope
Hope in a God who is Good
Hope in a God who is Indescribable

Hope in a God who Saves


I will rise on eagles wings...before my God...fall on my knees..

Is PC killing Youth work?...

After recently reviewing my work's Child Protection Policy and various other things, one thing that created more annoyance than security was the amount of red tape I had to snip at with nail scissors....


Have we gone PC mad? Here are a couple of examples....


'The BBC has dropped the use of the terms Before Christ (BC) and Anno Domini (AD) on one of their programmes and decided that the terms 'Before Common Era' / 'Common Era' are more appropriate'


'A UK recruiter was stunned when her job advert for 'reliable' and 'hard-working' applicants was rejected by the job centre as it could be offensive to unreliable and lazy people.'

Now...I know it's there to protect people who work with young people and children like myself, however, in some cases I really think common sense should prevail. It would be interesting to hear from other youth workers or professionals who come across this problem and your thoughts on this...

Back to more important things...

Every morning I speak out a number of truths, declarations and statements of faith over my day and life...

On Sunday I read the last one rather flippantly..It is based on Ephesians 3:20 and how God can and will do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ever imagine, and upon reflection of a challenging day for a variety of reasons, I can honestly say he did...

So I challenge you readers and myself each day to be 'brave' and ask God to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can imagine for the day ahead...

'What are you devoted to?'

So I've been challenged to start my blog again... It seems quite a number of people are blogging and why not go with the flow! (Don't look into that last comment too much)

Anyway, on Sunday I'll be leading a group of 14-16 year olds and asking them the question...

'What are you devoted to?' 

Maybe you can answer straight away?

This question has come about as a result of reading Mark 12:28-34 where Jesus tells us the greatest commandment is to 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind and with all of your strength.'

So, let me ask the question again...'What are you devoted to?' 

Money....Love...Possessions...Job...Family...Alcohol...

Jesus wants our hearts, the very essence of our character

Jesus wants our soul, the eternal inheritance that we are promised

Jesus wants our mind, so that He is first to mind whatever the situation

Jesus wants our strength, are we giving him everything because He gave everything...

I'm challenged..