Goodbye Oh Yeah, hello The Space

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We reached another landmark meeting yesterday. Citygroup:Sunday is having to change venues. We've outgrown the Oh Yeah Centre. Can you believe that? DC mentioned yesterday about our first meeting there round a couple of tables and look how we've grown. It's amazing. I cannot wait to see what rooms there are for children's work. They've been doing a great job with the limited space they have. It's going to be great to have space to be able to do really embrace the vision. I'm so excited. I'm still hands off at the mo as I feel it's wrong to get involved when I'm not in a good place. I have faith for healing and getting fully involved again. The sticky floors, having to hoover up the bar area or building area before we can set up will soon be a memory. Although I wonder what delights await us from The Space? It's part of Queen's University Student Union building. I feel I'm surrounded by students on all sides now. Is He trying to tell me something? Those student hangout nights in Nis will be put to good use soon, I think.

Rain, wind, baptisms and friendships

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At the beginning of November - the 5th until 7th - Redeemer Central went mobile. Well, to Ballintoy to be exact. We had a weekend away. I was excited for so many reasons - one being I hadn't ventured up to the north coast yet and was finally going to get to see it, or so I thought. I saw very little, but it doesn't matter just means another day out exploring later on.
The hard times were hard. I was feeling very challenged. I really wanted to spend as much time with people as possible so when I had to go upstairs it was a battle of the mind. Eventually I got to the stage where I realised that going upstairs was a good thing - a positive thing - as long as I made it back downstairs again.

We had a service on Saturday night and Sunday morning which were both powerful. God gave me a scripture before we started to worship. I wasn't sure what to do with it so just left it for a while. I still haven't the confidence to know if it is for me or needs to be shared yet. I remember towards the end of the service more was being said (I cannot remember if DC preached or not) and it was becoming clearer to me the scripture was to be shared. As soon as I realised that there was no hesitation, I had to bring it. I think I would grabbed the microphone had the meeting ended - I felt that strongly it was for now. I was reminded of Isaiah 40:29

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted, but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

This passage was given to me a few weeks ago and I felt there were too many others who felt the same and who needed to be reminded that however they were feeling or going through God could still use them and He'd give them the strength to endure. I also think this verse was brought again on Sunday just gone. We had four baptisms on Saturday. We all went down to Ballintoy Harbour which was slightly sheltered. I cannot imagine how cold the water was. I didn't realise how cold I had got until I got back and took off my coat. I ended up with more layers on under the duvet for about 20 mins trying to warm up again. Thankfully lunch was homemade soup which definitely helped restore some heat.

We had planned on going for a walk in the afternoon but the weather had other ideas. It was pouring with rain and didn't let up for ages. Some people had brought some games which people were huddled around, there was sharing of make up skills, hand massages were done and a bit of fun all round, me thinks, was had. I was amazed how many people came along.

My eyes were opened again to how many people are part of the Redeemer community. There were some unable to come to the weekend but even without them there were alot more than I had realised.
It was so good to spend quality time with people and get to speak to some I hadn't before. I found it a struggle being with people the whole weekend. I found a way of coping, head up to the dorm and relax until felt able to cope again.

Row, row, row your boat...

I've downloaded a daily Bible reading plan application onto my blackberry in the hope that at the very least I can read something every day. Of course, that hasn't happened. I've just worked out I can go back to the days I've missed and read them. So that's what I've started to do.


One of the bible plans is "The Essential 100 Challenge". I thought it'd be good to read some of the more important verses to refresh my limited knowledge of the Bible. I try to read with an enquiring mind - not "just read" the words.

I'm sitting here with my phone, trying to find the first missed passage. Back and back I go - I'm only on day 34 but flicking back seems to take ages. Aha, found it. Day 2! Surely not! Oh, now I remember, I didn't realise you had to click the forward arrow for it to register the passage has been read. I remember reading the passage and thought I'd read it again.

I was struck by Noah and the ark. When I'd finished reading Genesis 7 it made me think about why God had felt He needed to do this. I'm not questionning the all-knowing God, but what was the world like for Him to do that? How does it compare to today's world? And the question I've heard alot - if you heard God saying build an ark, would you? Of course, He's promised to never flood the whole earth again so He'd probably never ask us to do that.

So many questions are flying around my head. The main one is - if I was asked to something out of my comfort zone - totally out of my comfort zone - how obedient would I be? What about you? Do you think you'd do it?