Have been working on creating a website this week for our youthgroups in church, something i've been intending to do for a while. Ignite offer a great service for setting a site up for youth groups : quick and easy design, 10MB storage space and a free mailing list service meaning those who sign up can get regular mailshots and upddates to the site.
Another thing i've finally got up and running is the ability to upload photo's to the blog here thanks to hello and picasa software. I'm also trying out Googles new desktop search software which i'm well impressed by, bloglines for reading RSS feeds of my favourite sites and ONSPEED to quicken up our dial-up connection (though broadband speeds would be more favourable)

Anyway it's been quite a profitable week, alot on in the incoming weeks in preperation for REACHOUT. Heading up to New Horizon today also, which is a first for me and something i'm looking forward to alot.

The scene as I looked out my bedroom window a night last week

Re-connected
Well its been a while since I’ve been able to update the old journal, the reason being my laptop died. After over 6 week, after endless phone calls, store visits and much annoyance I’m now seated writing this entry on a replacement laptop. Long story that I’ll not dwell on now, but basically a lot of hassle, and only for Curry’s extended warranty package that we had taken out, otherwise I don’t know where I would stand.
Anyway enough of all that, what’s been going on in my life of note recently? It’s funny now that I sit here, having thought on countless occasions over the past months I must blog about that, but now I have the opportunity to blog again I can’t remember half the things I wanted to put down.
PRE Reach-Out events have been coming along nicely, had a great crowd down at a beach party when the schools broke up for the summer, and toady’s carnival was a success, if somewhat messy from reports. I wasn’t able to make it along to today’s event as I couldn’t get off work, which peeved me off bug time, but as with everything God had a lesson for me in it. He used today to remind me that it’s not about me, its all about him and what he can do through me if I’m willing. As the rain poured down last night, and I started to panic about how outdoor activities could happen with waterlogged facilities, especially if I wasn’t gonna be there, how would it all happen. Crazy thoughts as I look at it now, but God taught me valuable lessons. He reminded me that it’s Him that’s in control: of nature, of the reach-out activities, of my life ultimately. It’s what he’s doing through me by his Spirit that counts, and it’s what he has planned for the week that will prevail, all I have to do is draw close to him so that my plans are his plans.
Gracious God, thank you that you choose to use fallen sinners saved by grace to extend your kingdom here on earth. Thank you for reminding me that it’s your work that I’m a small part of, and it’s in your strength and according to your will that I can carry it out. God of creation, you alone are worthy of our praise, may I be a reflection of your love, grace and mercy during my days here on earth.

“Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin;
pour out your heart like waterin the presence of the Lord.
Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children,
who faint from hunger at the end of every street”
Lamentations 2vs.19

This was the message we sen't out at our youth service last weekend, inviting members of the congregation to commit long term to becoming a "prayer buddy" for the young people who come through the doors of our youth organisations. Its been on our hearts as leaders that this generation needs our prayers more than ever, and that God will answer the prayers of his people again and rise up a generation of passionate young Christians who will take the love of Christ back to the streets.
The service took the form of an insight into the life of a 21st century teenager, exploring youth culture today and the pressures of the world that are seeking to capture the lives of our young people. We then set out the challenge for members of the congregation to play their part in "lifting up their hands and pouring out their heart" for this generation.
In researching for this I came across some interesting, and somewhat shocking stats

• every 7 seconds someone in Britian is being bullied
• 37% of young people in Northern Ireland live below the poverty threshold
• 62% of young people studied would say they have some level of sexual experience
• 59% of 11-16 year olds would have an alcoholic drink on a weekly basis

Despite all these pressures I firmly believe God will use this generation to revive his body the church on these shores and beyond. I personally have experienced the power of prayer, and know it was the prayers of my family and commited christians in my school that saved my soul and brought me to repentance and faith in Christ from the depths of sin. And God can do likewise for the many lost prodigals who are desperately searching for meaning in life.

As Linkin Park put it :
“ I WANT TO HEAL; I WANT TO FEEL;
LIKE I’M CLOSE TO SOMETHING REAL;
I WANT TO FIND SOMETHING I’VE WANTED ALL ALONG;
SOMEWHERE I BELONG”

Young people are searching for somewhere to belong throughout this land and beyond, if only the church would hear their cry.

Its been a while

Well over a month has passed since I last blogged and recorded my thoughts on here. Seems strange coming back to it now after a lengthy break, but I just scanning through past entries I can see it’s use as I see what God’s been putting on my heart in recent months. Things recently have been pretty hectic, this past month more so than normal it seems, and a number of times my quiet times have suffered and I find that other commitments and pressures have squeezed God out to the periphery. But I’m off for a few days now, time to recharge the batteries, and more importantly spend quality time chilling out with God, re-connecting to the one whose will I have surrendered my life to.
Have been looking through the Make Poverty History material recently, looking through some of the issues with our youth groups. It’s opened my eyes afresh to God’s heart for social justice and equality for all, and how far mankind has fallen from this as the rich nations get richer and often attribute to rather than alleviate from the injustices and in-equalities that exist in the world today. Its amazing as you read back through Old Testament times, that no matter how far we have progressed technologically, the issues that separated man from God were the same then as they are today. And God still demands the same of his people today as he did in the days of the prophet Zechariah:

Zechariah 7 vs. 9-10
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widower or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other’

I’ve also been involved in planning for the summer, holding an event for young people in the area. Its something I’ve had a desire to do for a while now, and it was awesome to find out that it’s something God has been placing on the hearts of a number of others. After much prayer, and a couple of meetings later we now have an idea of where we feel God is directing us with it. Reach Out is gonna be a week-long mission/gathering of teenagers from our community and the surrounding area. The idea is to provide an environment where young people are presented with a faith that’s real, that reaches beyond the 4 walls of a church, and that is expressed in service and showing Christ’s love in practical ways. They will be involved in servant-hearted, community based projects, breaking down generational and social barriers as they show Christ’s love to the community in practical ways. This will be supplemented with fun activities, outings and sessions that deal with the Big Questions of Life in a culturally relevant format.