Category: General

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The God of second chances – Happy re-birthday to me :)

Ferry Meadows - Celebrating 2 years of the Prodigals return :)

Friday May 16th 2008 – about 8pm in the evening:

So he returned home to his Father. And while he was still a long way off, his Father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him

Luke 15:20 (New Living Translation)

Two years ago today the parable of the prodigals son came true for me personally. After many years of being away from God and living as an atheist, I cried out to my heavenly Father and he saw me, ran to me, embraced me in a huge hug and welcomed me back with Love, Grace, Mercy and Forgiveness.

The photo above is the place where I made that cry and was taken this lunchtime as I took a prayer walk around Ferry Meadows and meditated on the last two years. It’s an evening I will never forget, and I hope it’s one that never loses it’s significance in my life.

Whilst I was thinking on the past two years I realised just how much my life has changed in that time, but I also realised how much I need to change. I was astonished by how much faith I had, and how much faith I still need. I saw the importance of that milestone, but recognised that it’s only a step on the journey.

Carlos Whittaker – a worship leader, blogger, tweeter and a friend I hope to meet one day -  recently released his first album called Ragamuffin Soul (go get it – you won’t regret it!) and on it there is a great song called “God of Second Chances”

Great Redeemer, we humbly respond to the call of Your love
Gracious Father, like a child we run with arms lifted up
So let the praises rise

You’re the God of second chances, You’re the God who still romances
We’re in awe before You now, and our hearts are bowing down 
You’re the God of all the ages, who are we that You would save us
We’re in awe before You now, and our hearts are crying out

Pretty much says it all really. The only thing I can add is a heartfelt Thank You to my heavenly Father. I love you daddy.

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Stomach bug from hell

The Hartley household was struck down last week as a nightmarish stomach bug took hold of us and for the first time we can think of actually hit all 5 of us.

24 hours? No

48? Nope

72 then??? You wish

The bug lasted from Saturday evening (24th) to Friday 30th April in one way or another – leading me to spend the week working from home to avoid contaminating the office after having to do a runner on Monday morning when struck ill at work 🙁

Never known a bug like it before and I certainly hope we don’t see any more like it as it has left us all feeling somewhat disorientated by the chaos and uncertainty, let alone the craziness caused by not having a normal menu (Poor Mrs H has just had a nightmare trying to work out the shopping for the coming week!)

Now all I want to do is catch up on the sleep of a week – not gonna happen but I can dream 😉


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Out of control – and learning on the way

Following a really stirring recommendation from Dave Smith, senior pastor at our Church – KingsGate Community Church, I bought the book “Divine Mentor” by Wayne Cordeiro.

The book is a real honest and down-to-earth call to read the bible, and it opens our eyes to a rather novel way of viewing the experience. Wayne, who leads a network of churches in Hawaii, tells us how he uses the people within the bible as his mentors in everyday life and how the different people can speak into our lives on a regular basis.

This not only stirred me to start listening to the bible daily (using the excellent DailyAudioBible website with their daily podcasts for the bible in a year, and the book of proverbs in a month) but also kicked me in the rear about starting to listen to sermons and preaches on a daily basis – something I try to do when driving home from work but have fallen out of the habit in the past couple of months.

I decided to add to my usual library of speakers by subscribing to the Mars Hill podcast and learning from Rob Bell, and the other pastors there. What I wasn’t expecting was to have my character completely scrutinised and brought under the microscope as I listened to two really excellent preaches from Matthew 7 – one about Judging and the other about Ask, Seek and Knock.

The first preach completely cracked open an area that I have started to become painfully aware of in the last couple of months – and an area that I am having to work hard to rectify. The subject of trying to control others either by criticising, judging, manipulating or belittling and shaming. Rob Bell spoke very passionately and clearly around the whole subject, and as he did it became more and more clear that this behaviour comes around, more often than not, through insecurities and low self-esteem.

It’s going to be a challenge and I suspect it will be a long and painful journey – but it’s clear that I need to make changes in my life and in the way I relate to others around me.

To anyone who reads this and feels that I have treated them this way, I want to offer my deepest apologies and ask for forgiveness. If anyone wishes to talk then please feel free to contact me – you can find me on facebook or by emailing me.

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Help for Haiti

There are times when the hearts and souls of every human being cry out in horror, agony and helplessness.

There are times when people, quite understandably, ask WHY and HOW.

There are times when God can appear, on the surface, to be nowhere and completely incomprehensible.

There are times when the heart of God cries out more than ever and when He mourns and weeps for His children.

The statistics, such as they are right now, are frightful and completely swamp our understanding. 50,000 is one figure that has been mentioned. 1 Runway. Aid struggling to get through, and what aid there will be will not be enough to rebuild that place or rebuild damaged lives.

This is the time when we need to be compassionate, human and to cry out.

NOW is the time we need to put aside that cinema trip, that chinese takeaway, the new DVD, that flash new toy – and NOW is the time we need to help rebuild Haiti. To do our part within the global community and to give everything we can to help.

Please – visit http://www.dec.org.uk or http://www.compassion.com and donate. Do whatever you can to help. Please.

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Hippy Moo Car!

Erm… Happy New Year even – obviously not in my right mind. And WOWOWOWOWOW has it really been this long since I last posted. Sorry folks, life has been totally crazy these last few months with my work having a rebrand and new product launch, me getting my tonsils ripped out and the usual joys, work, chaos and fun of December and, of course, Christmas!

And so we are now in the new decade – no-one seems to know what it will be called yet with the Teenies or the Tennies being the favourites right now. Of course, some argue that we are not yet in the new decade until next year but I’m just going to follow common consensus and go with this being the first year of the Deccies (hey, you never know what it’s gonna be called!)

I can’t help but be totally stunned by the last decade – it seemed to go by so quickly, only seems 5 minutes ago we were all celebrating the Millennium and the doomsayers were predicting that all the computers in the world were gonna destroy us all and take over the world (or something like that)

In fact, to summarise, the last decade saw:

  • Me and Mrs H tying the knot in 2000 – so it’s the big 10 this year!
  • The birth of our 2 lads and countless birthdays
  • Me finally passing my driving test
  • 3 jobs
  • 1 house move
  • The Hartleys getting together more regularly than ever
  • Some really great family holidays
  • 2 Formula One races, several touring car races and even some test days.
  • All our kids going through playschool and into primary school – with the eldest now in year 8 at secondary school (year 2 to me and you!)
  • Me falling away from God, then Him welcoming me back with a great big bear hug
  • Mrs H and our Daughter getting baptised
  • And so much more I can’t think right now!

This year alone is going to see big things happen, with big changes at work and a great family holiday with my parents and Uncy Roo – the last time we went away together was an amazing time and we all really enjoyed it. Cannot wait for it really!

I’ve also felt that this year is going to be a time of growth, change and challenge for us with God having so much for us. There is so much going on at KingsGate as well with there being a huge raft of world-class guest speakers coming in the next couple of months alone. In fact, with everything going on I just pray and hope that I am open to all the God has in store for us as a family and me as a person, father, friend and husband.

My prayer for anyone that reads this is that you will have a truly blessed year, with peace and prosperity and good health – and that you will come to know Gods love in new and exciting ways.?