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!

Weekly Wrap 25

Well, this past week began with a huge highlight for me. Clara, Felix and I had the privilege of accompanying a coach full of Year 11 students to Leavesden (outside of London) to see the studios where they filmed the Harry Potter movies! Yeah, I have a rough job, I know. Pics are at the bottom!

This week we also did a lunch club about what the Bible says about LOVE as well as had prayer spaces, giving the kids a chance to connect with God for themselves!

This was our appeal for our lunch club where Clara preached the Gospel and students responded to the fact that the Bible says God loves them.

 Chilling in one of our prayer spaces before students came in.

In Germany St. Nicholas Day (6th December) is a big deal! We celebrated by showing the Pais documentary to some of our friends and cooking German food for them as well. Oh yeah, and we got chocolate St. Nicholases to eat!

Harry Potter World Pics!

Clara, Felix and Me outside 3 Privet Drive (the house next door to the Dursleys). And that is Butterbeer in my hand, non-alcoholic goodness! 

Me and Clara in the Gryffindor Boys dormitory #scandalous

The Mirror of Erised supposedly shows you your heart's deepest desire when you look into it. I won't tell you what I saw ;)

The bridge that leads to Hogwarts 

Felix outside the Potters' house 

The Butterbeer was really nice... :)

The cupboard under the stairs

The Great Hall decorated for Christmas 

Felix being pensive in Dumbledore's office 

 Gryffindor Common Room

Entrance to Dumbledore's Office 

 Potions classroom

 Weasleys' house

 Umbridge's office 

 Number 4 Privet Drive

Hagrid's Hut

 Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley

Hogwarts!

Weekly Wrap 24

If you're thinking there was no update last week, you are right! Last weekend I went to a worship leaders' conference in Eastbourne (in the south of England near where I used to live) where God really moved in my life and gave me the opportunity to worship with Matt Redman and Reuben Morgan! I got back from there late Sunday night and went right into a crazy week at school with Youth for Christ, which culminated in a YFC concert Friday night at school where the Gospel was shared with over 100 students! Yesterday was my first day off in two weeks and I certainly made the most of it. My host would tell you I never got out of my pajamas, and she'd be telling the truth. Now we have three weeks of school left before Christmas holidays, and I have no idea what I'm doing/where I'm going for Christmas. Hopefully that decision will be made soon! But I would appreciate your prayers for us as a team, to keep running strong to the end of this term and for me as the leader, to continue to be able to focus and lead well, no matter what distractions come. I want to be able to give 100% in my work and am disappointed with myself when I cannot. Thank you all for your prayers and support! I really value you--especially those of you who read this ;) Thank you!

Weekly Wrap 23 Part II

Because it has been such a long time since I've posted a real update, I'm just going to give you highlights here.

The first Sunday in November, we had a Family Sunday at Bath Street where we had activities geared mostly for our young people and their parents. We have quite a few young people who come to kids club and youth group on Friday nights, but whose parents don't come to church on Sundays. So we thought this would be a creative way to get them to come to church and to engage with others in the family of God. It was a ton of fun!

 Three of our young people discussing painting each others' faces

Group activities for the young and not-so-young 

 Of course we busted out the Wii

Making a family tree with hand prints :)

This past week we began doing a Bible study with our Christian union that meets after school on Tuesdays. So we thought of fun ways they could do some Biblical research and find out new and interesting things about the life of Moses, which we are currently studying! 

We created some prayer spaces one day during a lunch time for the students to use during their free time. 

This is me and Becky taking advantage of a prayer space before the students came in 

At this station, students were encouraged to give their struggles to God and then drop a fizzy tablet into the water and watch it dissolve as they let go of their worries. 

This station was to thank God for the special friends He has given us.

Here the students were encouraged to write down any big questions they have for God.

This was our prayer wall, where we wrote out our prayers to God. Some were simply, 'God, help me.' 

Young people using the Be Still space

As part of our job, sometimes we get invited to go on school trips with the students. This was a day at Outward Bound where we first spent time discussing GRACE and what it looks like. Then the kids got to do fun things like abseiling and zip lines...

And this was our most recent lunch club, where we had a 100% increase of those who normally show up. Praise God! 

When I got home from school on Friday, I had a package waiting for me! My birthday present (yes, my birthday was in February!) along with some extras from my best friend! It was such an encouragement to me, and now I have Steven Furtick's newest book! Glory :)