Finale

Some friends of ours here at YWAM (Youth With A Mission) Harpenden started a ministry as a rock band a few years ago. Just before Christmas they played their last gig together before moving into other things they have felt God talk to them about. Over this time thy have been going into pubs and clubs and playing gigs alongside other bands. Very much witnessing to those who may not normally meet other Christians, such as the other bands, people going to the gigs, sound guys etc. Christy and me have both had the pleasure of helping these guys periodically over this time. Christy with her voice, especially when they were starting off, and me with transport, driving the van for them.

They have really challenged me a lot over this time and the journey they have gone through. Especially the way they have been right in the centre of things and made such an impact on people’s lives. They have just been themselves in those places they have gone too and had fun.

The final gig was pretty awesome. Christy even got the chance to sing with them one last time. A lot of the people they had met over the last few years came down and packed out the venue. For all these guys it was a real bittersweet experience, with tears shed by the most unlikely people.

 Having watched them over the last few years, and seen what they have done, it has really challenged me in the way I see how we live as Christians. What it means to actually have a real relationship with those God calls you to impact, to treat them as people, not just as a project or numbers. Which is really how Jesus treated people, he gave them value and treated each and every person he met as an individual. I know that this is very much a journey and I really look forward to seeing where God leads Christy and me.

A light read...

As a YWAM (youth with a mission) community here in Harpenden we thought that it would be a good idea to kick of the new year with a little light reading. So we set aside 4 days and started to read the bible out loud! We started as the new year started, at midnight, and took hour shifts as both individuals and small groups.

Me and Christy got to get the ball rolling, with Christy leading some worship for about 30 minutes before the new year started. We were joined by two others at about 23:30, before settling into Genesis at midnight. Me and Christy read together quite a few times over the few days, which was great as we got to talk about what we had read after we finished each session.

I think we were both overwhelmed and very thankful for Jesus and what he did after reading big sections of the old testament, especially the sacrifices, regulations about clean and unclean and just how hard it was to be in a relationship with God, before his incarnation, death and resurrection.

It was a really great time to reflect on what has happened since creation and also where we are now and what is to come. Such a great way to start off the year, both very encouraging and challenging.

The Provision of God

I have seen a much greater level of God's care and provision over the Christmas period in the form of a car.

Me and Christy have been praying for a car or the means to purchase a car for the last few months knowing that we will need one for what we feel God is calling us onto. Just before Christmas we were offered a car by a member of my family who was upgrading his. So, on January 3rd, we became the owners of a 5 door Ford Focus.

It is amazing as it is everything we had been praying for, with a few little extras! It will give us the flexibility needed to engage in new ministry and to be able to see family more easily. More amazing still is that we were not only given a car, but we had someone else write to us with a desire to support us monthly, which will greatly help with the running cost of a vehicle. Completely blew me away.

When we first started praying I was not sure if I really expected to receive a car, I have heard of it happening to others, but did not think that it would happen to us. But as we prayed and we started to dream of what we would need and why, I started to get excited about it happening. God is amazing, and I think I know him a little better though this experience. I am so happy that we kept praying, and so in awe of God for his provision of exactly what we were in need of.