How to help

I was driving home from work on Tuesday night, at the junction of the M25 and the A13, probably one of the busiest places to be at rush hour, there was a group of asian blokes trying to flag down traffic, so I stopped.

One of the guys came up to my car window, he said he needed money for 2 babies who were hungry, I didn't have any money, I asked if there was anything else I could do, he said he wanted 10 pounds, I repeated I did not have any money on me, could I help in any other way, he walked off. I drove home.

I don't know if these guys were legit, or if I could have done more, the feeling I had afterwards was that I wasn't very prepared to help. I don't know if I'm making myself very clear, I wanted to help, I stopped, felt compelled to stop, if I had had any money, I would have given it, legit blokes or not. I suppose I just felt very frustrated that I didn't help, and I don't know how to prepare myself to be available, to be open to others more, to help.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not beating myself up, I'm just working through some things right now, about being more proactive, really living Jesus, there is no point just talking the talk, it has to be real, it has to be living, Jesus is the life, then I am being challenged more right now to live that.

I know I am rambling a bit, but haven't blogged in a while and I'm spurting off, I'll probably write more later on being broken, we'll see..............

Don't know

Didn't know what to have as a title, don't really know what I am writing, so no picture either. Just a sort of update. Things are good, busy, more challanging, and good.


Have had some real answers to prayer lately within the church, brilliant, and our youth is growing, tiring. The group that Tanya and I do has just about doubled, very hectic. At the end of last year, we started a once a month youth worship on a Sunday night, the last one we had has just gone to a new level, it really kicked off, loads of young people, really up for going mad for God, and being challenged as well, exciting. We also have loads of plans for the coming year, weekends away, soul survivor, youth events, its gonna be a real challenge to organise, we really need some more workers. But God problems are great, we can't have too many youth, so I'm sure God will supply us with help. Especially since in about 6 weeks time I will be setting up a youth cafe, thats really going to need prayer and people. I just give it to God.

My house is up for sale, I'd really like to sell it, its expensive, to buy , but also to own, I really believe selling it is part of a bigger journey my family and I are on at the moment, but it is also a weight, a weight I could do without. As it takes longer to sell, I am wondering what God is trying to teach me from this......................maybe its just, rely fully on Him.

What thelogioan am I?

You scored as Anselm, Anselm is the outstanding theologian of the medieval period.He sees man's primary problem as having failed to render unto God what we owe him, so God becomes man in Christ and gives God what he is due. You should read 'Cur Deus Homo?' Charles Finney 80% Friedrich Schleiermacher 80% Anselm 80% John Calvin 73% Martin Luther 73% Karl Barth 73% Jürgen Moltmann 67% Jonathan Edwards 67% Paul Tillich 53% Augustine 33% Which theologian are you? created with QuizFarm.com

New quiz, I don't know if I agree, but a cool bit of fun.

Thankyou

The other day I wrote a post, about my windscreen wipers, I was on my way to work when I wrote that post, I have been at work alot over the last few weeks, and it being summer, have been away with my family, I really have been blessed, but I have really missed my church family, it means alot, and having a good church family is really strengthening, it also makes me aware of those who work away, or in missions, it is so hard to stay strong, I really pray for those.

I digress, I was at my small group last night, and have been told about a whole bunch of blessings that have been happening at church, one of the young people from my group is moving and was trying to get into the local school, it wasn't looking great, yesterday she got a place, the church was trying to invest in community work, it emptied the accounts, acting on faith, they have received a cheque covering the whole amount. Tanya and myself were helped financially. There is so much happening, I am trying to start a youth cafe, as a form of outreach, Me and Tanya are starting youth Alpha this coming week, the youth worship is really stepping up, we have more volunteers, God is so good and so big. Thanks. Listen to this though......

There is a child at our church who has cancer, cancer in the kidneys, one has been removed, so many people have been praying, now I haven't got the full story, but basically, he went to have the other one removed, a specialist doctor there visiting, suggested giving treatment one last try, which they did, scanned his kidney, no cancer. He was going to have it removed, he no longer has cancer. God is so good and so big. Thankyou.

And through all that He still fixes my windscreen wipers.

Music 3 Soul

' As soon as I wake up, put on my make up, I say a little prayer for you' Aretha Franklin

Good bit of advice really, the first thought in the morning, get in touch with God, although I don't wear make up. I'm on my next musical journey, SOUL, says it all really, but seriously, the best thing about soul, is there is a lot of love going on, and it is very easy to see God, when you are talking love songs, take Gladys Knight's You're the best thing 'you'll be there between each line of pain and glory/Cause you're the best thing that ever happened to me' or Marvin Gaye's Ain't nothing like the real thing 'I need the shelter of your arms to comfort me/ No other sound is quite the same as your name.'

There is a real calling out for love in these songs, the longing of the soul, which is why it links true to our relationship with God, just in the titles of songs by Sam Cooke, A Change is Gonna Come, and the whole of the Otis Reading song Thats How Strong My Love Is, you can see and hear God.

A bit of Stevie Wonder to finish, from I Believe, 'God surely answered my prayer/ God surely answered my prayer/You know God surely answered my prayer/ You know God surely answered my prayer/God always will answer your prayers/Belive in One who will answer my prayer.

windscreen wipers

Last Wednesday, on my way home from work, my windscreen wipers stopped working, quite a big problem in the rain I was driving in, they just gave up. I was doing a social with the lads from my group that night and dropped the guy who was helping me off afterwards, and i could hardly see where I was going. I had a go at fixing them Friday, was back at work Saturday and Sunday, went from work to my mother in laws for a few days, came home Tuesday, kept trying these windscreen wipers to no avail. Haven't got time or money for these wipers, so am at a loss. Anyway going to work Tuesday afternoon, I see the rain clouds coming, and I start to pray, please God, help it not to rain on me. It starts to rain. So I said very simply to God, 'Well you can at least make the windscreen wipers work' and I tried them, and they worked.

I am sure there are those that have a practical solution to this, well so do I, God fixed my windscreen wipers, and I phoned Tanya straight away, to tell her just that.

For me, this is one of those wonderful demonstrations of God's love, He created everything, everything, He knows all, He can do anything and is in charge of all things, He still wants to fix my windscreen wipers.

God is so big, so infinitely bigger than what my mind can even start to imagine of Him, He has quite a bit on His plate.

I am small, not that clever, undeserving, silly, disobedient, lazy...............

He cares about me, God loves me. He sent His Son for me, and even through all I am and do, He still loves me and cares that my windscreen wipers were not working, He fixed them for me and He continues to fix me, but thats gonna take a lifetime.

Perception

I have a new photo on my profile, this for me is a big thing, mostly because as you can see from the top photos, I am one of the least photogenic people in the world. So yesterday Tanya, who has been moaning about my profile pic, for ages, spent some time trying to take an alright photo of me. Directly above is the result, about as good as it gets for me, so I'm quite pleased. I am fortunate though, Tanya and the kids look great in photos, so I just have to remember to be the one taking them.