First post of 2007

Well this blog has been a barren land of late, have become totally snowed under with work, finding I have little time for anything like writing the odd blog post. 

Working weeks have been more like 50+ hours instead of the 37 1/2 hour week I'm contracted to work recently, and hence the posts haven't happened.  But I'm off today on flexi and thought I'd get caught up on some stuff which I haven't got the time to do much.

This week was the first week of housegroups starting in our church fellowship, something which has met a fair bit of opposition from the older members who are less comfortable with this format, but I feel is necessary to develop genuine fellowship and community within the body. 

Our youth events have been carrying on as normal, becomes abit of a routine which I'm not totally happy with, but with a lack of time and other pressures it's the only way at present.  Bible class has been encouraging as we have been working our way through a study of James, just breaking into the 2nd chapter now as the 1st chapter took us from September to complete.  It has been abit of a struggle again for myself as I am preparing the material from scratch each week, trying to make it as relevant and interactive as possible.  Would be alot easier to just follow some pre-prepared material, but I don't feel it would be as beneficial for our young people, or for my personal development either.  So I'll keep struggling away at it, and try to manage my time abit better.  I know God will equip me to cope with every challenge placed in my way, guess I've just gotta learn how to trust in Him more and more, and rely on Him and not my own short-comings.

Lack of posting

Well the posts on the old blog have been somewhat non-existent in the past month or so, due largely to the busyness of work and life.  Work has taken a more 8-6 look in the past month, lots of stress and many times wondering why I bother putting myself through it for the poor payslip at the end of the month.  Have been feeling sorry for myself on a number of occasions, abit disillusioned and wondering what the future holds.  Then I catch myself on and think how selfish I can be, and how thankful I should be for what I have - health, job, car, family, girlfriend....................  It's easy to complain, but as I've been studying James with bible class, looking at how God uses trials and difficult times in life to mature us in our faith.  I can really relate to this in my own experiences and coming to faith, and the challenge to "consider it pure joy" rings true still today. 

With that in mind worries, complaints and the like all pail into insignificance.  The assurance God gave Jeremiah is a promise that I cling to today;

Jeremiah 29 vs.11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

The four Evangelists as depicted in the Book of Kells, well worth a look if your in Dublin 

It's been a while

Well here I am again, quite a while since my last post, thought i'd better spend abit of my day off catching up on a few things.  Spent yesterday in Dublin, hadn't realised the marathon was happening, but made the most of the lack of shop's open by visiting Trinity College and viewing the Book of Kells.  Always something I had intended to see, quite amazing detail and craftsmanship in producing it so many years ago - blows your mind really.

Brought home how fortunate we are to have our Christian heritage, but equally sad to think how far society on these shores has fallen and how little interest the majority of folk have in the Christian faith.  We've fallen into a "pick-and-mix" mentality where we make a religion that suits our lifestyle and doesn't involve the sacrifices necessary, a consequence of our consumer society I guess.  But this is the world into which we are called to go into and make disciples, quite a challenge. O how we need to pray..............

The Ups and Downs of life

Been a whle since the last post, the regular updates are somewhat irregular, but here goes.  A reality for me right now is that life has it's fair share of ups and downs, seems to be more downs than ups for me right now, but theres always 2 sides to a coin and 2 ways of looking at things.  Guess i've always thought of myself as abit of an optomist, the glass is half full and all that. So recently when some things haven't quite went my way and i've found myself asking "why me" I guess the glass has looked more empty than full.  Sometimes the futures looks scarily dull and not so bright, and it's at times like these that the promise God gives Jeremiah rings true to me, and i'm content to trust in Him with my life, my plans, my all.

 

Jeremiah 29 vs.11 (MSG)

"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."

 

What a promise, what a re-assurance, what a hope, what a God.

And suddenly my worries slip into insignifficance, and I see this as an opportunity to stretch the limbs of faith and trust in Him, after all He knows best, nothing happens outside of his will and His plans will prevail