Tag: Christian

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Statistics and Hope

It finally happened.

At 4pm on Friday 10th July the event we had been waiting for, for nearly 8 months, finally took place – and even though we were expecting it, it was still a kick in the delicate parts.

The administrators were finally appointed and, in a piece of life reflecting reality-tv, we were split into two groups – 1 group staying (to basically help sell the rest of the business) and the other group being shown the door. Me? I was in the latter… with a couple of cold, hard, words we were out.

Funny thing is that I actually slept really well that night – my first feeling when I got told, after I had calmed my emotions down a bit anyway, was sheer exhaustion. The pressure, the waiting, the uncertainty – it was all over. Yes, there were a new set of challenges and uncertainties but I could move on and I knew where I stood.

It’s now been just over a week since that happened and I’ve done the usual – contact the mortgage company, sign on, look at all spending etc – and I am feeling really positive about it all. I had a couple of days when it started to hit home and I felt quite down but one of my cousins called me and we spent an hour chatting and speaking scripture and truth to each other and he prayed for me as we closed – and that really turned it all around for me.

We know that there are loads of people praying for us, and we know that we have support and love in huge measure – and for all of you who have been, and still are,  praying – we love you all! Your prayers mean the world to us and they are making a difference. God is blessing us with a real sense of peace and hope and we are not worrying.

We knew this day was coming, but we also knew that God has a plan and that He is in control – and for the first time in my life, I am really feeling able to “let go and let God”… there’s no sense of “gotta take it back because nothing is happening” – yes, I have a role to play but I also need to be trusting in Him and just be ready to walk through the doors that He opens for us.

I’ve had an interview this week – and it seemed to go really well, and it’s a job I definitely want as it looks a great opportunity! We’ll know more hopefully later this week but please be praying into that… I’ll let you know more when I know 🙂

God bless you all – He really does have an effect on our lives and His promises and Word are true!

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From a Reed to a Rock

Woohoo – it’s time again for more Wallpaper Memory verse fun 🙂

Yup, we’ve just started a new series of teaching at KingsGate called “From a Reed to a Rock – the Making of a Disciple” looking at the life of Peter and how we can learn from him and grow ourselves.

Dropped on us at small group last night was the nice sheet that contained MEMORY VERSES!!!

So, I thought I’d throw together some quick wallpapers – and instead of doing them week by week and getting behind I have done all of them in one fell swoop… so here they are! (click the read more to see them 😉 )

Continue reading “From a Reed to a Rock”

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Amazed by the Grace, Favour, Provision and Randomness of God

There’s a saying that “God moves in mysterious ways” and it’s one that I cannot dispute in any fashion at all.

Not only have we had the amazing BBC coverage at KingsGate, along with the complete randomness of Chris Moyles then raving about it, but there just seems to be a whole lot happening right now that just seems to come in a barrage of amazement and wonder.

So far this year I’ve seen friends experience what can only be divine provision, both financially and materially. Friends have been challenged by God and their lives shaken by things they have seen/heard. There have also been healings and answered prayers of all kinds.

Probably one of the most random experiences of the year took place only the other evening – I can’t go into too much detail at the moment but trust me, it’s sooo random it can only be God.

From a personal perspective, the year is not the most comfortable as my job is at risk and the job market is proving frustratingly silent, and we are facing other challenges as well – but with all the things we are witnessing right now we really do have a firm belief that Gods promise that “I know the plans I have for you… to give you a hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29) really is true and that whatever happens he will be our “Jehovah Jireh” , the God who provides.

Yes, there are bad days when it all seems to close in and I find that it seems impossible – but there is such a peace, a Shalom, that these days and times and few and far between!

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KingsGate goes National (and even Global!)

WOW!

That about sums it up!

If you’ve been watching my Facebook status updates, or go to/know people who go to KingsGate Community Church in Peterborough, you will be aware that this weekend just gone we had the BBC broadcast LIVE from the Church for one of their 3 annual services. They only broadcast live for Easter, Christmas and Pentecost – with the Pentecost service being this one.

It was a huge blessing, opportunity, opening and challenge for the Church and all involved – with months of organisation, rehearsal, jiggery-pokery and all sorts going on to ensure that it all went smoothly, professionally and still looked like the KingsGate we know and love. The main priority of it all though was to ensure that God was able to be glorified, praised, raised up and that homes would be impacted by the Holy Spirit through what Dave Smith preached, the worship team sang, the testimonies declared and more.

The weekend was crazy – busy didn’t seem to fully express what the weekend was like but it was all good fun. When the rehearsal took place the air tingled with anticipation and excitement as we fully took in what we were doing. When we went LIVE it was even more moving and amazing, I found myself welling up as I took it all in but managed to keep in control 😉

I was involved with the KingsGate Production Department looking after the sound and visuals within the childrens room that got featured during the second song (and you can see our eldest son a few times!!!) and it was such a thrill being involved in it all.

Of course we let loads of people know about it, and our daughter told all her friends etc – but nobody anticipated the response that we got.

BBC crew members were moved, some close to tears, by what they saw, heard and felt. Emails came in (and are still coming in) from people who were challenged, changed, touched and more in the UK. The Church has even had emails from Holland, Belgium, Germany and Spain as it turned out that the broadcast was also sent to the Armed Forces TV channel so was seen as far afield as the Falkland Islands!

Then there was probably the biggest surprise of all – Chris Moyles, Radio 1 Breakfast Show DJ, actually talked for 6 1/2 minutes about the service. 7.7 Million listeners heard Chris saying that he watched the program and it was “the most fascinating thing I’ve seen for a long time” and “I’ve never seen anything like that it Britain” and “it was amazing” and “been to gigs with less atmosphere” and “this is unbelievable” and “very uplifting” and “I want to go”

The ripples from this are still being felt from this and it is so exciting to be a part of.

If you haven’t seen it – or want to watch it again – you can catch it on the BBC iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00kvgmt/Thats_the_Spirit!/

Update: It’s now no longer available on iPlayer but you can find it on YouTube by searching for KingsGate Community Church

Please check it out!

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Laminin… heard of it?

You ever heard of Laminin? No? Well, unless you’re a micro-biologist or have seen this talk before, it doesn’t surprise me in any way, shape or form because until I had seen this talk I hadn’t either.

The video I’ve posted is part of a talk by Louie Giglio (a guy who works closely with Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman and the Passion movement) call “How Great is Our God” and, whilst the whole talk is mind-blowing, this bit just completely shook me to my core when I saw it a year ago.

Continue reading “Laminin… heard of it?”