Monday, May 21, 2018

Monday musing

1. Met for a good time of prayer at 7.15 am.

2. John Calvin said 'There is not one blade of grass, there is no colour in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice.'

3. I played 'Blinded by your grace' in church yesterday.

4. I enjoyed reading -A pastors week.

5. I have been listening to Beautiful Eulogy

6. I met a man who runs Intercessors for Israel at the invitation of a pal for lunch. Interesting discussion around the table about 'the land' which we didn't all agree on. One of our number had been impacted by Matt 5:5 suggesting Jesus said 'Blessed are the meek who shall inherit the land' (not  'earth' as the NIV has it). I am going to look it up and study the verse. 'God is for us' has helped me on this emotive subject.

7. I have been given a talk to do with the title 'Known water- New winds'

8. A friend has just published this called 'The Gift of Blessing'  

9. I like this suggestion to pick one theologian and study him for a lifetime.

10.  I started a sentence today saying 'I am not very bright...' My school grades bear this out.

Friday, May 18, 2018

Leadership reflections

I went to LC18:

1. 'Know you are loved- that's the secret of leadership' Nicky Gumbel

2. I confess I wasn't looking forward to hearing John C Maxwell as I thought he was going to tell me lots of things I should be doing as a leader and make me feel awful. He didn't. He simply cried while telling us the gospel. What an amazing man.

3. Bishop Kivengere was quoted who said

"Revival begins in the home before there is a Revival in the church"

4. We were at one point told to pray 'our best prayers' which we thought was an odd phrase.

5. Nicky Gumbel thinks 'Just mercy' is the best book he has ever read. Bryan Stevenson was without question the standout talk- stunning. It wasn't recorded but this is his TED talk.



6. The phrase' God works in the cracks and the interruptions' struck one of our number

7. 'Turn the ship around' was another strongly recommended book.

8. I am still saddened by Bill Hybels not 'Finishing strong' which is a book we should all now re-read.

9. This was the song of the conference by Brook Fraser who lead worship


10. John C Maxwell described leadership as 'Postitively influencing people'

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Tattoo



I have got to know someone recently who has this written as a tattoo on his inner forearm:

'No man liveth unto himself'

He told me that part of the reason he did it was the impact of reading a book called 'The Vision and the Vow'. If someone permanently imprints their body after reading something then you might want to get hold of that book. It arrived on Friday and I finished it this morning. So many things from reading it made an impression on me but the story of Pete Greig's dad moved me most. He was a very un-ordinary ordinary man like my own father, who I miss desperately.

'When the Holy Spirit fills our lives, we begin to want what God wants and to see what God sees. In His grace, God interrupts our mundane little lives and calls us to follow. As we obey, our hearts are changed. The old covenant of our selfish motivation and "far-off" vision is replaced with a new covenant written on our hearts, and we now share God's priorities, longing for the fulfillment of His will whatever it may cost. The sacrifices of obedience are outweighed by the joy of being chosen to walk, one step at a time, in relationship with God'

Vision and Vow, p.85

In other news, we are getting involved with Joy @ Kempton.



'Why did it take 34 for years for someone to tell my husband and I about Jesus'
Rowena

I am going to this tonight to pray for it. Do join me.

Thursday, May 03, 2018

Thursday thoughts

1. One of our groups is group of mum's exploring what it means to raise children who follow Jesus. I spotted this new book called 'Devoted'

2. I loved reading this which made the point that reading can awaken revival and has done.

3. I do try and keep a not very watchful eye on the C of E's debates about human sexuality. The latest is that The American Episcopal Church wants a liturgy for 'gender-neutral marriage'.  I understand 'gay-marriage' though don't think it should carry the title 'marriage' and the C of E still holds to the view that marriage is between a man and a women. I had little idea what exactly the phrase 'gender-neutral' meant and my normal practice is to turn to Ian Paul. Happily he's done a piece on this latest wrangle and before reading it I assumed it's about two 'intersex' (the 'i' in LGBTI) people wanting to be married? Don't know about you but I am struggling to keep up as the sexual universe becomes increasingly more complex.

4. Someone recommended 'There is more' to me.

5. I have had Ephesians 5:14 on my heart for days.

6. Such fun having a room full of folk in our home to learn how to pray. I cooked and 'the laity' taught -wonderfully.

7. Mrs C sent me this to watch on Revival

8. The Prayer Course is brilliant. More please Pete.

9. I discovered a pal who I worked with 25 years ago in Moscow is on the run from the HMRC. How lives take a different course. It's never too late to wise up. I would send him this book if I could track him down.

10. A lot of people think, in the C of E, all roads lead to the Bishop. They don't. They lead to the Archdeacon's. Pray for them.

Saturday blog-sweep

 Some interesting books for pastors The State we're in Attack at dawn Joseph Scriven Joy comes with the morning When small is beautiful