Has been quite a while since I’ve taken the time to update this journal, so I thought I’d better record a few thoughts. Last weekend was an awesome weekend retreat with the youth ministry course I’m doing, spending the weekend at Glenada Conference Center in Newcastle. It was so good just to spend time alone with God in the beauty of his nature, meditating on his word, and sharing with a group of brothers and sisters in Christ who have a heart and passion for youth ministry.
It really drew it home to me the importance of spending quality time with God, and how that should be our number one priority in our daily lives. Also the benefit of sharing, encouraging, networking and inspiring one another as a group of youth leaders was a major benefit of the weekend.
The only worrying aspect to develop was the increasing realization that next Mondays deadline for the PDYM assignment is drawing ever closer, and I still am not as far on as I need to be at this stage. A day snowed-in, housebound and unable to attend work would greatly assist the assignment being completed on time, but I’m sure it will get done in some shape or form by next Monday.
Adios for now, and I’ll try not to make it as long until my next update.

I wonderhow long the new years resolutions have lasted? If your anything like me you will have had the best of intentions, but found these intentions dwindling away as you get bogged down with worldly matters that seem to take up so much of your time. As you an see, my original intentions of keeping a daily journal have fell by the wayside somewhat, and thats down to the fact that my daily quiet times have become somewhat rushed as lifes hectic pace has dragged me along.
So here I am again, realising my failures, and prayerfully attempting to get back on track with God. Guess its just a matter of prioritising time better on my part, and fitting the worldly things that are temporary around the essential and eternal that is God.

It has been interesting reading through the Old Testament account of the Passover in Exodus 12, and how in Christ we have the fulfillment of these scriptures. He has once and for all dealt with our sin, the pure and perfect lamb who shed his blood at Calvary for our sins. We are released from the bondage of sin, no longer slaves to it, but rather servants to the one who has dealt with our sin, paying the price in full by His precious blood, allowing us to live new lives free from the grip of sin. Praise the Lord!!

A new year, a fresh start, a year full of opportunities both fresh and old, Help us Lord to surrender ourselves to your will for our lives this year. Reveal your purposes and plans in our lives, drawing us forever closer to you, and moulding and changing us to be the people you have called us to be, radiating Christ’s love and grace into the lives of others by our actions, words and lives, in Jesus name…
My daily readings this morning focused on the commands found in Proverbs 27 vs. 23-27, and how we as Christians are to be good stewards of what we have been blessed with materially by God. We are to manage our finances wisely, carefully planning for the future, and giving generously, wisely and prayerfully to Gods work worldwide. In today’s spend-it-as-you-get-it, self-centered, pleasure-seeking society this is a huge challenge to the Christian. Do we stand out from the norm, distinct as salt and light in our attitudes and actions as Christ was?