Do I live the life that is safe or an adventure of faith?

Here we go again! Why not live a quiet life and not put ourselves out on a limb?

We are moving forward to partner with the UK Christian Film festival to bring Stephen Baldwin back to the UK and hire two cinema’s, one in London the other in Carlisle May 13-16 2014. The concept is to have a “Red Carpet Evening” where we show either “Loving the bad man” or “I’m in love with a Church girl”. Stephen would then tell his story and have a Q&A time with the audience.

Stephen was very well received here in 2012 when we created the event Mysterious and we are sure Carlisle will welcome him again. So watch this space and pray for us as we launch out again on the adventure.

We are grateful for “Hope Carlisle” that has already brought like minded people together and have arranged a number of key events for our city this year. Over the May bank holiday, the Churches will be in several communities, having fun, cleaning the streets up, providing community barbecues etc. The “Red Carpet” event will give an opportunity to invite these communities to the cinema the following week.

Do I have a voice or am I an echo?

It was always fun being in places with the kids when they were younger listening to us make echoes. We would walk through a tunnel along the river bank in Carlisle and make all sorts of noises to hear them be repeated.

I found on my journey of pain through loosing Mike, I have not only a story but a voice. A voice is not a repeat like an echo. Its not what I have read and echo out. The voice did not come because I sat under some great professor, in fact it came through being in the desert with all the barren and at times being lost. It didn’t come from being in the crowd, in fact I found very few in the desert.

Of course, so much of what I say or write has been gleaned and cultivated by others. I find reading particularly helpful as others articulate what I am feeling or processing much better than I can. The voice comes from tacit knowledge not explicit knowledge. Its hard to write down and transfer to others. It’s my voice, its my story.

I believe more and more that each of us has a voice and  a story. We have to find creative ways to find that voice and tell that story.

 

A picture paints a 1000 words

Father and Son

I have passed out my Father & Son leaflet all over the world these past 4 years. On my last trip, Todd, Ebbo, Vera and I could not resist flying to Brunei for the day. It was only a 30 minute flight from where we were staying.  We enjoyed visiting this small country with its 435,000 population. I don’t know how many live in the “Water Community”, (houses on concrete stilts in the river) but Kiea and his father do. They took us on a 1 hour trip around the community.During the trip I could see that 5 year old Kiea and his dad had a lovely relationship. I could imagine that Kiea was proud of his dad and one day he too wanted to run a boat which is mainly used for the community to bring goods to their houses. His father used sign language to tell me Kiea was his only son and was 5 years old. I gave him my leaflet to show Mike, my only son. I then took this awesome picture. For me it summarises so much that resides deep in my heart relating to both our earthly father and our heavenly father. I will pray for Kiea often over the next years that he too, discovers that Father God loves him and sent Jesus to die for his sins so that he too can be reconciled to the Father.

 

My Daily Confession

Some years ago, I met someone who had battled with deep depression that had destroyed his life for several years. He had come through and had found some aids along the way. He gave me a copy of his “My daily Confession”. For a year after I kept a printed copy in my wallet and would read daily, but then I lost it and I stopped. I found a copy again on my laptop and realised I need to re-launch the practice. It sooths my soul and encourages me daily to remind me who I am in Christ Jesus, why I am here and what is my purpose.

My Daily Confession

“My cup of life overflows and because of your great Love for me I am blessed in the morning. I am blessed in the evening and I am blessed at night. Lord you have plans for me until I walk through the final valley you will keep me able to serve, counsel me, guide my steps and make my way flourish like a well watered tree. You will daily feed me on good things from your Word and make provisions for my needs. I will be a witness to the goodness of the Lord and I will tell others of my salvation by faith in Christ alone not having my own righteousness. Out of this relationship He creates a life of good works of Grace to be done through me. I am Father God’s child, born anew of the Holy Spirit and part of the Kingdom of Christ; though I may fall I will not be cast down. His refreshing tender mercies are renewed to me every morning. My new creation life that comes from above will bare the fruit of the Holy Spirit and I will do well in my anointed and appointed gifting. With my old life hidden in Christ I have strength and peace. This makes me more than a conqueror over Satan, sin, self and death and because I walk in the light, love and life of Christ nothing touches me that has not passed through Father God’s hands.”