The New

I know it's been a long time since I've written. On my blog at least. One of the things that I've been getting up to since the last time I wrote (here), is that I've begun slowly taking on new aspects of my Communications role and this, PTL, involves writing! One of my first assignments, and my favorite thus far, was writing a case study for the UK's most widely read youth work magazine about the Bible study we do on Pais called Haverim. I loved writing it and I cannot wait to see it in print. In addition, I have taken over writing the Pais GB weekly newsletter (Should you want to subscribe to read my lovely words and find out what God is doing in and through our teams in the UK, please check out the Pais GB Facebook page and hit the 'eNews Signup' button underneath the cover photo.). There are also popping up here and there other opportunities for me to write, and I am excited about where God will take me with this! I have been reminded recently that several years ago as I was receiving prayer at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, that the girl praying for me saw an image of me as a giant among books and magazines. I thought that was interesting then, but I've definitely been encouraged by that again recently.

In other news, it is December, Christmas is around the corner, and quickly following, New Years! I am always excited about beginning a new year and this new year holds definite changes for me. Soon after Christmas I will be moving to Burnley, the home of Pais GB, and into a flat with 3 other girls, one of whom I will work with. I'm excited to be taking on this new role, officially and fully in this next term, as well as taking on a new leg of this adventure I am currently on. But please, if you feel led to pray for me, I could certainly use prayer in these next few weeks. I love change, but change always brings challenges. I will be living in a new place, with new people, a new job and going to a new church. Lots of change! But God is good and I know He will give me grace for all of it! Thank you!

Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This

Today is one of those days. I'm not even really sure how to describe it. It's the day when I realize my efforts have been in vain and every attempt over the last few days and weeks to hold everything together has fantastically fallen to pieces. Trying to put a band-aid on the gaping head wound has proven futile and now it's time for surgery. Do you know what I'm saying? Can you relate with me at all?

I'm not going to lie, my life has been stressful for the past...oh, 5 weeks.  Things have not gone as I have planned. People have not responded as I thought they would. Expectations have been frustrated and therefore, so have I.

And on top of that, to make it even worse, the enemy hits. Lies and discouragement provoke me and despair lurks around the corner, telling me that everything I believe God is and has said is a lie. I'm tired. I'm a bit overworked. I'm frustrated. So he thinks he has a chance. He thinks this is prime time to tempt me to disbelieve. But unlike every other time before this (seriously, I don't think I've ever withstood it before), I refuse to give in. I refuse to believe the lies he tells me. I refuse to listen. And instead, I speak the word of God over my life. I thank Him for who He is and what He has done. I thank Him for His goodness and faithfulness, for His power and sovereignty, for His kindness and care and attention to the details of my life. I thank Him that He is fighting for me and He is supporting me and giving me grace for my situations. I thank Him for being such a Good Shepherd and such an excellent leader. And I find myself encouraged. Interesting how that works, no?

If you are feeling discouraged as well, please don't give in. Speak the truth of God over yourself--it's so powerful! And choose to believe in His goodness, sovereignty and love!

Have a listen to this! Strength of My Heart by Rend Collective. If you're not encouraged by the end, listen again!

Let's Not Be Like the Israelites

Today we started studying Matthew 14 as a team, Jesus walking on water. But this post has absolutely nothing to do with that. 

As I was finding the page in my Bible so we could begin reading the passage this morning, my eyes fell on Matthew 13:58:

'Now He did not do many mighty works [miracles] there because of their unbelief [lack of faith].' 

And that reminded me of something God has been convicting me about for several months, which I'll get to in just a bit. 

It's interesting to me that in Mark 6, the Gospel writer describes the same story of Jesus's rejection from his home town of Nazareth as Matthew does in chapter 13, saying:

'Now He could do no mighty work [miracles] there...because of their unbelief [lack of faith].'

Did you see that? He couldn't do miracles because of the unbelief of the people there! God! God couldn't do it! Now, that's offensive. My God can do anything. He is SO powerful (as we can see in 1 Kings 18 where He sends fire down from Heaven, which I have yet to write a blog post about...). But Mark says He couldn't do it. What?? 

Several years ago I came across an interesting portion of Psalm 78 which struck me in the same way:

How often they provoked Him in the wilderness,
And grieved Him in the desert!
Yes, again and again they tempted God, 
And limited the Holy One of Israel. 
They did not remember His power...

The Psalmist says that the Israelites in the desert limited God through their unbelief. They provoked Him, they grieved Him, they tempted Him, they limited Him, they did not remember His power. Wow. 

Now, God is God and I believe, as He is completely sovereign, if He wanted to do mighty works in Nazareth, He woulda done. Same with His power in the wilderness. But, I can kind of understand why He wouldn't want to... 

I mean, how would you feel if someone you loved so much continually said to you, 'Yeah, I don't really believe you're gonna do what you said you're gonna do. I don't see it. It's not gonna happen. You've never done anything for me anyway, really. You just got me into a mess and here I am. You can't get me out of here. You can't help me. Actually, forget you. I can't even really be bothered with you anymore.' After a while of hearing that, you might just let that person go...

But of course God is totally committed to the Israelites so He didn't let them go; He did what any loving father would, He disciplined them. 

And they certainly missed out. I can't even imagine what it might have been like had the Israelites taken God at His word and trusted Him to deliver them as He said He would. They would have saved themselves 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. The entire first generation that was denied access to the Promised Land could have entered in. They could have tasted and seen that God is so good, but instead, they chose to believe what their eyes and ears told them rather than what God had said to them.

And all I know is that I don't want to be like that. This is my conviction. I don't want Jesus to walk away from me saying 'I can't do anything here because you don't believe Me.' I don't want to miss out on the great things God has for me, on the things that only God can do in my life, because I choose to trust my senses rather than my spirit. I'm not willing to suffer unbelief and miss out. His plan for my life is too good and too big for that. 

So I choose to believe. I choose to believe that God has amazing things for me, that He is all-powerful and can put me anywhere and with anyone He wants to, that He can use me in mighty ways that only He can explain, and that He can and will be glorified in my life. He is my centre. He is my all-in-all. He is my Alpha and Omega, my beginning and end. Without Him I am nothing. With Him I am unstoppable. I want His power to be seen in my life. I want Jesus, and Jesus alone, glorified in  my life. Therefore, I choose to believe. 

It's Not Over

Wow, I just watched this sermon entitled It's Not Over from John Gray who visited Elevation Church a couple weeks ago. If anything I've written in my last three posts has struck something in you, I would encourage you to watch this message from this crazy guy. He's hilarious. He's profound. And he's right. Enjoy!

Walking By Faith

You know what? God has given me a pretty cool story. Yeah, it's cool right now (although sometimes it's ridiculously hard), but it's actually going to get even better. I totally believe that.

I know most of you don't know the details of my story (actually, very few people do, and by that I mean like 2) or what God has been doing in my life and heart the past few years, but trust me, it's pretty awesome. I have seen God do what only He can do and in one specific area of my life, that has been the cry of my heart for about 10 years.

Regarding this, I know I am meant to write my story. My story of this one aspect of my life and how that has affected me and what God has taught me through it over the past decade. And every time God nudges me again to get going on writing it, I end up saying no. I say no because to me, in my mind, from my perspective, it's not finished. I feel foolish writing down what I believe and what I have heard and seen God say and do when sometimes 'reality'/what my senses tell me, is so contrary to what I believe God is doing. So I refuse. I say, 'When it's finished, then I'll write it.'

But that's the thing: it is already finished. Psalm 139 says that all my days were written before even one of them came into being. Paul wrote in Ephesians that God prepared good things for us long ago. God has always had a plan for my life and He has been leading me and preparing me and to Him, this is actually finished. The work is done, it is certain, it is sure. The only thing is, doubt creeps in because I can't see the fullness of it yet.

And the Word comes to convict my heart:
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe...
We walk by faith and not by sight
Without faith it is impossible to please God
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
He who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind...

I want to walk by faith and not by sight. I want my spiritual eyes to be open to the leading of the Lord. I want to believe what He is saying and what He is doing because I want His power at work in my life to do what only He can do. But honestly, sometimes that feels so foolish.

Walking by faith is so contrary to our natural disposition. It's not normal to us. It's not our default. It's the opposite. It's actually quite difficult.

And you know what else I've found to be difficult? Listening to the responses of people in the church when you tell them 'This is what I think God is saying to me.' I am going to exercise some self-control here and not vent about how unsupportive some Christians can be when you trust them by sharing what you believe God is saying to you and doing in your life. I have found they very often pull out the logic card, the reasoning, the practicality of why that cannot be so. I have one piece of Scripture for those people: 1 Corinthians 1:27. Oh and actually, they can chew on 1 Corinthians 2:14 as well.

So, that's why 2 people know my story. Two people who have been the most encouraging, incredibly supportive sisters I could have asked for to walk this journey with me. They even surprise me sometimes. When I share with them something I've found discouraging and if I were them, I'd be saying, 'Amanda, give it up,' within two seconds they've spoken the word of the Lord to me and reminded me of His goodness and faithfulness in His leadership. And honestly, it's in large part due to them that I have made it this far. (NG & AB I so love you both!!)

But my encouragement for you today is to walk by faith, not by sight. To submit your life entirely to God and let Him do with it what He wants, trusting Him that the plans He has for you are so much better than any plans you could possibly come up with for yourself. And as you follow His leading, let go of the wisdom of this world. Embrace the Holy Spirit and let Him do more than reason says is possible. Expect the miraculous, because that's what God does. This week in our team devotions we're studying 1 Kings 18, when Elijah calls down fire from Heaven and Yahweh proves that HE alone is God. There will probably be a blog post born of it. But God is POWERFUL and He wants to do so much more than we could ever ask for or imagine in our lives, because He loves us so much and because He is ABLE!

Also, one other piece of encouragement--be a cheerleader. :) When someone else comes to you and says, 'I feel like this is what God is saying to me,' support them. That doesn't mean you have to agree with it or you have to hear God about it as well, but listen to them, pray for them and speak the word of the Lord to them, encouraging them to TRUST Him. That's what God is looking for, faith that follows Him wherever He leads. And His destination, no matter where it goes, is always glorious.

The Word Tested

So, after leading our team Bible study on the dreams and faith of Joseph, I decided to use it for our weekly lunch club with our students at school. As I told them the story of Joe, I had several of them act it out for us, using their spontaneous creativity and some props I had pilfered from the Ethos Dept's cupboard. I challenged these 11-13 year olds with the concept of a life dream, asking if they had a dream for their lives, and if they knew how to use it to help others. I explained that Joseph's dreams weren't only for himself, they were also for others, so that he could actually help and provide for his family in midst of crisis (thereby preserving the lineage of Jesus, but I didn't go that deep with them).

I've been chewing on the story of Joseph and his dreams for several weeks, and as I was editing my last post, I remembered that Psalm 105 speaks of Joseph and tells us a bit about his time in prison. It says that 'They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons.' I don't know much about Egyptian prisons during Joseph's time, but if I'm honest, the first mental image I have concerning his situation comes from the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, where the only set piece on the stage is a circle of bars with a half-dressed, very healthy and well-fed Joseph stuck in the middle...

I don't think reality looked anything like this.

...which is clearly not quite accurate, and I forget that Joseph did actually suffer during his time in prison. I forget that he was there for years. And while there, I wonder if he ever gave up hope. I wonder if discouragement and depression ever plagued him. I wonder if the darkness of his situation ever grew stronger than the hope of his promise.

It says in Psalm 105 that 'Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him.' This verse has encouraged me in the past and I pray it encourages you too, especially if there's a promise from God that you're waiting for Him to bring to pass in your life. Joseph's story of slavery and imprisonment and then exaltation and destiny realized shows us that, yes God does bring fulfillment to His words, but it's very possible, and even probable, that before He does, there will be a time of testing.

Sometimes I lose faith for myself that what God has promised will actually come to pass in my life, and I think that's what this verse is about. That during the waiting period in Joseph's life, as his life circumstances went from bad to worse, the word of the Lord tested him. The promise from God tested Joseph's faith--would he continue to believe God despite his circumstances, despite what his senses showed him?

And where I always get stuck is here: what if I choose to believe the promise, but then God doesn't do it? Will that break my faith? If I believe so strongly that God has said this one thing, but then it doesn't happen in my life, can I still trust Him? Will I still believe that He is good?

As I've struggled with those thoughts over the years, I am often brought back to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, Daniel's friends, who, when Nebuchadnezzar threw them into the fiery furnace said, 'Our God is able to deliver us, but even if He doesn't....' and they refused to give in. Their faith did not waver. That's the challenge. For me and, I think, for everyone waiting on God to deliver His promise to them. Even if He doesn't do it, will we still trust Him? Will we still believe that He is good?

I think that was Joseph's test in the waiting, while he was in the pit of life's circumstances. Even if God never promoted him, would he still trust God? And essentially it was a test to see what was the most important thing to Joseph. Was God his first priority or had the dream become his goal? Was Yahweh preeminent in his life or had the promise become his god?

What's interesting is that we know that Joseph's dream had not become either his goal or his god because it says in Genesis 42 that when his brothers came and bowed down before him, Joseph remembered his dream. He remembered it. Which means he must have forgotten it at some point. It must not have been at the front and center of his brain. It must not have been the focus of his life. And I think that's really interesting, and even challenging. Are there times when I make the promise my god? Are there times I put what I want before God? Are there times my focus is on what I hope for rather than the One who gave me that hope? Honestly, yes there are. But God is so good at helping me and He continues to bring me back to reality and help me put Him first. And oddly, the more He does that, the more He helps me give Him first place in my life, the more He also solidifies His promise in my heart, helping me to believe that He is a God of His word and His word will not fail but be fulfilled. And that is His glory.

So for anyone who is waiting on God to fulfill the promise that He has made to them, let me encourage you to put Him first in everything and leave you with this:

Twice Dreamt Equals Absolute

Every day on every Pais team around the world we do team devotions, and I love that! Last week, I got to lead my team in studying Genesis 41, where Pharaoh has a dream and needs the interpretation. That is when Joseph is summoned from the prison to the palace and that is his life-changing, momentous breakthrough that leads to the fulfillment of the dreams he had in his youth. 

At 30 years old, Joseph is not quite rotting in jail. He has been given a position of authority within the prison, but still, I can't imagine it was a nice place to exist, and actually, from Psalm 105 we know it wasn't. 13 years beforehand, he had had a dream. Well, actually, he had had two dreams, which he knew were one and the same, and at this point he is still waiting for them to come to pass, surely wondering if he would ever see them realized, surely wondering if he would ever have the honour and position he felt God had promised him in his dreams. Life in jail could probably bring a bit of discouragement, day after day after day, year after year after year with what seemed like no forward movement or manifestation of what God had spoken to him. 

But then the day comes when everything changes. It's interesting to me how much can change in a day. In one day, the Israelites left behind 400 years of captivity and walked into freedom. In one day, forgotten-about David was called from the sheepfold to be anointed king over Israel. In one day, Mary went from being very much not pregnant to quietly carrying the Saviour of the world within her. In one day, Lazarus went from being four days in the grave to alive and well, walking out of the smelly tomb he had been lifelessly carried into. In one day...in just one day...things can shift. In just one day God can change our circumstances. In just one day. 

So there's encouragement for you--and really, I'm writing this for myself because there's something I've been waiting on for a long time and sometimes I see no forward movement. Sometimes I see no progress (and other times I do, but I'm so quick to forget!). But God is GOD--He can do whatever He likes; nothing is too big for Him and He certainly can change our circumstances in just one day. Do you believe it?

But, that's not my point (Good though, wasn't it?). My point is that, when Joseph is called from the prison, he stands boldly before Pharaoh (after shaving and changing his clothes, praise the Lord), knowing what God has already told him twice over (that he would come to greatness and all his family would bow down before him) but knowing he hasn't seen the fulfillment of it yet. He had had two dreams about this, he was certain it would happen, but at this point, 13 years later, it still hasn't happened. Do you think he ever experienced doubt? Do you think he ever gave up that hope? Do you think discouragement ever got the best of him? 

I would guess that at one time or another he really struggled holding onto this dream. But you'd never know it. From the way he stands before Pharaoh and adamantly declares what Pharaoh's dream means, that God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do and that the fact that Pharaoh had the dream twice meant that God was absolutely going to do it, you'd think he'd been to the future and come back to tell the world about it. Obviously that didn't happen. He himself is still waiting on his own two-dream-one-promise revelation to come to pass but he has so much faith in God, so much knowledge of the workings of the Holy One, so much insight into the character of God (that He does what He says and He says what He does) that Joseph is able to say: 'God gave you this dream twice to show you what He's going to do and He's seriously going to do it, no question.' And that tells me, after all this time and all these trials, he still must have had the faith for his own dreams. Despite how long he's had to wait. Despite his circumstances and where he found himself in life. Despite what his past or his present told him. He still had faith. 

Joseph trusted God, even though he hadn't seen his own dreams come to pass. In fact, he trusted God so much that he could stand before the most powerful king on the planet and boldly declare the certainty of the word of God while still not having realized his own promise. And he could do that only because he knew God. Because he had spent time with God. Because God tells His secrets to his friends and Joseph had made sure that he was, in fact, a friend and confidante of God. I want to be like that. I want God to speak to me in dreams (more!). I want God to consider me His friend and tell me His secrets. I want to know and trust God so well that, like Joseph, I can stand before anyone and everyone and confidently and powerfully declare the living and active word of God. Yeah, I want to know God like that.

Back in the Saddle

We are currently in the middle of week 4, which is SO hard to believe. It seemed week three didn't even really exist. My team and I were off last Monday, worked Tuesday from Starbucks (the hardship, I know, but it's only once a year), were in school on Wednesday and then went to Warwick on Thursday for Hub day and to help Pais Warwick with their weekender. 

Here are a few pics from the weekend:

Every session at the weekender started with worship, which I loved!

Here, Luke, the West Midlands Hub Leader and his wife Lou, a youth worker at this particular church are leading a game with the help of the fabulous Paul Faulkner and the legendary James Tunnacliffe. These guys are brill! 

Dan Randall, the Assistant National Director of Pais GB, and my future 'boss' came to preach about the Holy Spirit. Lou introduced him to the young people and cheesy jokes, which I am happy to have forgotten, were exchanged.

Fenja, leading some of the young people in a German game called 'the Funky Chicken' (It's not what you think.).

Bethany sharing her story of why she joined Pais.

For those of you who understand Myers-Briggs, I made my teammates take the personality test. Look! No T's or P's! Can you believe that??

I will admit that, to this point, leading this new team has been a challenge for me. I have struggled leading knowing I will not be with this team long, and that creates different challenges. In addition, for some reason I didn't consider the fact early on that I would be going from a team who, at the end of last year, knew everything they needed to do, did quality ministry even without my input, remembered what they needed to remember (sometimes reminding me of things I had forgotten), had caught the vision and maintained the positive and encouraging atmosphere I worked hard to create at the beginning, to a team that pretty much knew nothing about the school or me or each other or what they need to do and when...and that honestly disturbed me for the first few weeks. I really forgot how hard it can be at the beginning. Sometimes it feels like pulling a train. But then, by the grace of God, I remembered that it felt like that at the start of last year as well and gradually, my team members got it and started running with it and they were total stars! So, I have great hope for this group of people, even if I can only lead them for a few more weeks. They are going to do great work and bring real light and truth to the young people of Darlaston!

We're Baaaaaaaack!!!

Well, we have FINALLY finished two weeks of Foundational Training with Pais GB in Burnley where we spent some intense quality time with all the other teams from around the country, learning about schools and youth work and being invested in and challenged by the national directors. This was my third time through training in the past year and a half, so by this point I was thankfully able to sit and listen, make notes where I needed to and relax a bit more than usual. I also was so blessed to get to stay with some beautiful friends in Burnley who allowed me and my air mattress a space on their floor. Showering daily and use of the laundry facilities was not a privilege enjoyed by all, but I certainly did appreciate it!

Today was the first day for Pais Walsall in school! I know my team is more than ready to get stuck in to the work, and for me, I was quite happy to be back. I missed my school and my kids!! I definitely got more hugs this morning than I anticipated and there were many smiles upon seeing my lovely self back in the school. It was great!

This weekend my team and I are off to Warwick to help our fellow Pais team with their Weekender, which is their opportunity to invite young people to a weekend conference to help them get to know God better. The amazing Dan Randall and Paul Faulkner are both scheduled to speak and I am so excited to hear the word of the Lord that they are both going to bring. (If you don't know who they are feel free to stalk them on FB! They are Pais legends!) In addition, my Walsall home is currently under construction as Ruth is having a new kitchen put in! It's so exciting but it currently looks like this:


And there's no sink! Hopefully by the time I return on Saturday some progress will have been made!

A makeshift kitchen has been set up in the living room...I suppose the nice thing about that is not having to walk so far to get food... :)

PS You guys are in my heart forever! <3 <3 <3

It's Been Such A Long Time

Ok, so I know it's been a while (ahem) since the last time I posted. In my defense, if you'll accept this excuse, the last academic year was really challenging for me, due to what God was doing in my heart for most of the year. I did my best to update about the work that my team and I did, but honestly, by the time May came around, I was totally shattered. So, please forgive my lack of updates from then until now. I really have appreciated everyone who has asked me if I'm going to continue writing my blog--it's nice to know people read it. Because honestly, if no one's reading, what's the point in writing? So, for those of you who do read it, I will write for you :) Thank you for caring :D

Since my last post, my team and I have finished our year on Pais Walsall and graduated. My beautiful team members have all gone their separate ways. However, I have agreed to stay and lead the Pais Walsall team again until Christmas.

2014-2015 Pais GB Graduation!

 2014-2015 Pais Walsall with Pastor Mark Webb

My Germans have all gone back home and will shortly begin new adventures pursuing their education. Becca has made the transition to Pais USA and is rocking Arlington, TX like no Brit ever has before, I am sure! I am so proud of them all and cannot wait to see what God does in their lives and where He leads them from here!

2014-2015 Pais Walsall Germans with the 2015-2016 Pais Walsall Germans! Aren't they lovely?? :)

After graduation and a week of leadership training, I returned to America for about 5 weeks, just long enough to visit friends and family and get a new visa. I managed to visit Indiana, Tennessee and Virginia during my short time there and was so blessed to be able to spend quality time with loved ones. 

I think my highlight of the summer, though, was the week that my best friend came to visit me in Portsmouth! We had a great time going to Williamsburg (my favorite place in America!) and the beach, and hanging out, watching British tv, reading books, drinking coffee and talking about life. 

And now, I am back in Walsall, leaving tomorrow for Burnley where I will spend the next 2 1/2 weeks in training. I will meet my new team--two English girls, two German girls (one who will not come until October) and a guy from India. I will be sure to introduce them to you once I have met them. I think this is going to be a great team and I look forward to all that God will do in them and through them this year on Pais GB!

Also, for those of you who don't know, beginning in January, I will be moving to Burnley and joining the National Directors, working in the head office doing Communications to help support and grow Pais GB. I am very excited about this new opportunity that has been presented to me and I look forward to embracing a new challenge!

A Visit from Italy!

Well, I must say the highlight of the last few weeks was when my beautiful friend and sister Miss Italia came to visit me. Walsall is not the nicest place for a holiday, so I did the best I could and took her to Lichfield. Here are some pics! 

The weather was amazing and the time I got to spend with my beautiful friend was so special. I did also show her *lovely* Walsall and suggested she visit Birmingham when I had to work. Her visit was such a blessing for me and I hope it isn't another year before I can see her again!

An Overdue Update

Wow, it's been a long time since I've updated! Basically the second half of Term 2 has passed without any news from me! My apologies!

So much happened during this time, especially in the lead up to Easter! The holiday was an amazing opportunity for us to share the Gospel with our students--over 500 young people heard the Gospel message from our team, in addition to the RE lessons we taught, as well as our regular clubs. We were so busy! Here are some pictures from the weeks before Easter.

 One of our local mission projects this term was to encourage our students with positive notes we taped to their lockers. Students and staff members alike were incredibly receptive to this! 

Bible study! One of my favorite things about Pais is how we study the Bible together and get active with it! This particular week we studied Daniel 3. 

In addition to our regular clubs, we got to help out with a special girls' club called Miss Understood! 

Johanna at one of our lunch clubs encouraging the students to choose positive influences in their lives. 

The week before we broke up for Easter holidays all of the Year 7 students got to watch the Miracle Maker, a movie about the life and death of Jesus. It was also from this room that we got to preach the Gospel to each student from Year 7-11! Over 500 young people! What a privilege!

A lunchtime activity about Easter, challenging the students to think about what Easter means to them and connect the day of celebration with the concept of forgiveness.

My beautiful team!!

My Birthday

For those of you who don't know, I just celebrated a significant birthday. And while sometimes it's difficult to be away from family and friends who know me well during times of celebration, God has graciously given me friends here in Walsall who would not let me skip the festivities. Ruth wonderfully arranged for a group of us to hit Stratford-Upon-Avon for an afternoon for lunch and to see a Shakespeare play!

For starters, we stumbled upon the BEST little cafe in Stratford, ate sandwiches and crisps (chips to you Americans) and had coffee and dessert to celebrate! This is Hobson's!

They had a lovely range of sandwiches...

...and about 1,000 cakes to choose from. Making a decision was a challenge! 

 More cakes

 And even more cakes

 But this is what I finally settled on, Caramel Crunch cheesecake, which was probably the most amazing cheesecake I've had in my entire life!

 And then we went to see Love's Labours Lost, which was hilarious, but unlike most of Shakespeare's comedies, does not end with marriage but rather with a challenge from the women to the men that, if they really love them, they will wait exactly one year, and then return to pursue them. My thoughts: those women are nuts... 

 Birthday decorations at home with birthday flowers from several friends

 The chocolate cake and Walsall t-shirt Ruth got me. She told me to wear it with pride. That's not a problem!

 Flowers from my best friend!!

 On my actual birthday I took the day off and went to London to have a 'secret' day, a day with just me and God.

 And I ended the day at Caffe Nero, my favorite cafe!

Unlike most birthdays I've had, I didn't want to make a big deal of this one, and I was relieved when it was over, but I am very thankful for everyone who helped me celebrate! To those who sent me cards, emails, and FB messages to those who blessed me with gifts and flowers, to those who spent time with me, I am so grateful for you, so THANK YOU!! 

Weekly(?) Wrap 27

Ok, I will admit I have been incredibly delinquent lately regarding updating, and for that I apologize! Life has been interesting recently. But it's all good! Work is great, the school is fantastic, the students are crazy, my team is amazing and God is my everything! I just hit a milestone and celebrated a significant birthday, and now tomorrow my team and I are off to Burnley for the annual Swap conference. I'm sure it's going to be great! I hope to have time once we get back next weekend to write a proper post with pictures! Until then, thanks for stopping by my blog and for those of you who pray for me--THANK YOU! Your prayers are vital to this work and to what God is doing in this town, this country and in His Kingdom! Amen? Amen!

Weekly Wrap 26

Well, we have successfully completed the first two weeks of Term 2. It is astonishing to me that in 4 weeks we will be half way through the year! Thus far, we have continued the work we have been doing--breakfast clubs, lunch clubs, our Christian Union, after school clubs, assemblies (for both primary and secondary schools) and are focusing on really cultivating our relationships with the students at school, those we are specifically mentoring. Surprisingly, it isn't the easiest thing. Yes, we are there Monday-Friday and see the students every day, but focusing on just a few mentees each (as we're asked to do) is a challenge when there are over 700 students constantly around us. But we're getting better at it! I have been very pleased with the work my team is doing, that they are getting better and faster in creating and carrying out ministry and they understand better what they're doing and how to do it. They need less leadership from me in some areas, and that is great as it gives me opportunity to get us started on new projects, like RE lessons! Our first RE lessons begin this week, and we're discussing Christian marriage with the students. I'm looking forward to this challenge and seeing how it goes!

Welcome to 2015!

Well, Happy Holidays! I hope your festivities matched up to or even exceeded your expectations! For me, I spent mine relaxing. I read a lot, spent time in worship and prayer, and hung around Walsall. It was a great two weeks and now I feel refreshed and ready to go back to work tomorrow!

Term 2 begins in 12 hours! I know it will go by quickly. I have some great expectations for this term, and I know God will make it a good one!