Change of Heart

A few days ago I started writing a post in an attempt to condense my thoughts on the week I spent in Southampton. I abandoned my attempt, and hoped I would feel a little more 'together' in a couple of days time. I don't think it's happened.

So here goes....

Last week was the UK FP Mission Week. A nice fancy title, but it was just 40 mins down the road in Southampton so I was slightly hesitant about getting my hopes up for a big adventure. I think the word to describe that approach is nothing but IDIOTIC! ...I'll explain why as I go along.

We arrived on the Tuesday morning and spent the day having some teaching, meeting a bunch of the FPers from London, and then praying for the event known as Park Life, which we were there to help with.  

From Wednesday - Saturday we ran three meetings per day in a big marquee in the centre of town. Nothing fancy, nothing complicated but a powerful Gospel and a powerful God mean that it's not an over exaggeration to see that it was a life changing week. Before each meeting we went out in groups to talk to people on the streets and invite them into the marquee.

Because I'm a bit weird, I get a real kick out of doing stuff on the streets. Some people like roller coasters. I like evangelism. The adrenaline and possibility that what you do could affect eternity, is a pretty sure combination of fun to me. Saying that, I was rather hesitant about the week, I was feeling ill, and was rather scared of talking to strangers, as much as I was looking forward to it. 

The week was intense, but incredible. Conversations with all sorts of people, from Christians, Druids, Atheists, Agnostics, Muslims and everyone in between. I was surprised by how willing people were to talk, and there were lots of great conversations with big groups of teenagers. I really felt that there were some God appointed meetings and there were some fantastic opportunities to speak truth to people. Sometimes as Christians we invite people to events, we talk about coming along for food, and yet we are so shy about talking about Jesus. It's a load of rubbish, Jesus is a big deal and we should be happy to tell people that! It was a great week of really telling people about Jesus, and explaining the amazingness of the Gospel.

Over the week 47 people became Christians, 9 people were baptised on the Sunday afternoon in a paddling pool outside in the torrential rain, and God performed some incredible miracles. A leg grew. A broken wrist was healed. Asthma was got rid of. An eye that was practically blind had it's sight restored. 

People received freedom and ultimately, lives were changed. 

As a result of all that I saw, the worship times we had and the general explosion of joy at seeing God at work, I've felt a little bit as if there is so much in my head (and my heart) that I've been involuntarily giggling all week. Life, with all of it's complexities is a wonderful thing. 

Several years ago God changed my heart, but he did it again when I was least expecting it. The idiot who wasn't really looking forward to spending a week doing mission suddenly finds herself with a greater love of Jesus than ever before, a greater belief that He can and does use his people, and a greater desire to get out on the streets.

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26

xo

English Summertime

I've recently returned from a week at a Christian youth camp, known as Newday. It's pretty cool. I went as a member of the youth for three years, but this year I got to go as a leader...or a RA as we were occasionally known. Means 'responsible adult'. I laughed hysterically at this title.

Anyhow this was Newday
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/norfolk/hi/people_and_places/religion_and_ethics/newsid_8878000/8878336.stm

and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/norfolk/hi/people_and_places/religion_and_ethics/newsid_8921000/8921083.stm

or at least what the BBC decided to cover of it. (For some reason, it won't allow me to give the links any other way)

What they didn't mention was the amazing sense of family, the 371 people miraculously healed by God of all sorts of sicknesses and the 320 or so people who decided to become Christians for the very first time. You see, Newday is all about seeing a new generation emerging in the plans that God has for them, and deciding to be proactive in changing their world.

I was amazingly blessed to see lots of answer to prayer in the way the youth I took responded to God, were freed by his Holy Spirit from things that were holding them back and generally grew together both as friends and disciples. In some ways, Newday has been the highlight of my year for the past four years. It's incredibly exciting.

What wasn't so exciting was the English summertime weather. Now in August, it's generally assumed that in the Northern Hemisphere that the sun shines, the temperature raises itself above about 2 degrees and the clouds disappear... Assumptions are wrong. We spent a week camping in the pouring rain, under dark angry clouds that thundered above us every few days, and all of this was accompanied by a howling and violent wind!

My snazzy new Mountain Warehouse tent stood up pretty well to this abuse though and so I wasn't a drowned rat 24/7!

Since I've been back I have had lots of Vicki time...which includes indulging my adoration of the West Wing (into series 2 now! Woop!), cooking yummy food and reading the new books that I bought whilst I was away. In addition I have done the entire world's washing. Or at least that is what it feels like.

Enough of my slightly impassioned blog update. I am not quite as ranty as I appear, I promise. In general I am quite full of love and such. I am however listening to Noah and the Whale's second album which is quite eager...

I shall leave you with their wonderul music.



Peace and love.

"Give me the love of an ORCHESTRAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

xoxo