Children
I love my children! They are awesome!
Did I learn how to love them from a book? No
Did I learn how to be with them from a Film? No
Did I learn how to discipline them from Facebook? No
Did I learn how to protect them from an app? No
Did I lean how to enjoy them from Twitter? No
I learned how to be with my children from……being with them, I learned how to treat them from being around them, I learned what works and what doesn’t from interacting with them!
I didn’t have to learn how to love them, I just did, even before they were born, I loved them, when they were born I found I had an unimaginable, unfathomable amount of love for them, I didn’t need books or films or Facebook or twitter or anything else for that matter I just needed them! As much as they need me, I need them!
My eldest will be 12 already very soon, and It has gone by so fast! And I know that I have lost some of that time due to my failings, I can’t get that time back but I can do something about losing more!
Yes I have to work and yes there are other things i have to do, but my children are vital!
Look at how God love us, that’s the example we have been set.
He knows every thing about me how I work, how I function, what I like, what I like less!
He knows how to get my attention and what works and what doesn’t!
Even how to discipline me
He’s always there for me, even when I’m not there for him
He protects us
He does you too, whether you know it or not!
Matthew 6:8
for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
No Explanation needed!
In the time I’ve been absent from blogging, a fair amount of stuff has happened.
I’ve just gone through my drafts which were written during this time, and they are all an attempt to explain it or to give the reasons why we made certain decisions. I wrote an open letter putting right some of the lies which have been told, I wrote about the hurt and the pain caused.
BUT! I have decided not to post any of them .
I refuse to look back now with any negativity.
I will not do a full expose on what has been going on
I won’t give details of all the wrong stuff which occurred.
What I will do is say that we are incredibly happy with where we are now
God has done so much stuff in our lives over this time
God Has repaired so much damage
God has moved us on
God has built us up
God is building us up further
God Is working
God is Awesome
God is preparing us
God has placed us where we should be.
We are thankful for the place God has put us!
We are all looking forward to what else God is going to do!
Isaiah 43:19
New International Version (NIV)
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
Jeremiah 29:11
New International Version (NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future
Kids are awesome!
I’ll be the first to admit, my children can be a little… shall we say active! They like to run about, shout, scream and generally have lots of loud fun.
One of the questions I have been asked most is:
Are they always like this?
Usually I answer “yes”
I was asked this recently and felt a little convicted because Really the answer is a resounding NO!
What others don’t see are the little things that make parenting both the best thing in the world and the worst!
They don’t see:-
The 3am mornings when they wake up scared
The 6am wake up when they just want a snuggle
The First bike ride, or the inevitable tears from the first fall
The tears that come when a friend has been mean
The laughs that come when they say something particularly funn
The tears when they come 9th out of 100 and not 1st
The smiles when they get a bedtime story, the sobs when they don’t.
The first nervous day at school, the excitement when they have had a successful day.
The parents evening that make you proud and the ones that make them nervous
All the other smiles and laughs that I can’t count, all the tears and sadness that I don’t want to remember bit feel like it was my own!
So the next time I’m asked “are they always like this?” I’m going to say with a smile “not always!”
Highlights of the week.
Here are my top blog posts I’ve read this week
Johnathan Pearson: Fantasy World: why are boys not becoming Men
Ragamuffin Soul: Today I hugged a Death Row inmate
Have a good weekend!
New Thing
Sometimes God brings along people who are really going to get on your wick. I don’t know why and I really wish he wouldn’t, I would really like it if everyone God brought into my life was instantly likeable. But Lets be honest, if that was the case then life would be boring.
When someone new enters your life it can be difficult. I usually find that i am challenged, challenged because they don’t like the same things as me, challenged because they are better than me at stuff, challenged because they do things different to me, challenged because they want me to do things differently, challenged because I have to explain stuff to them, challenged because I have to change to accommodate them.
Every-time someone new enters my life I have learned something new, I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for new people entering my life, I wouldn’t know the things I now know if it wasn’t for new people in my life, If it wasn’t for new people in my life I wouldn’t be married to a great woman with 2 great kids,If it wasn’t for a new person in my life I wouldn’t know Jesus, I wouldn’t have a relationship with the great I AM.
So the next time someone new enters the room, take a moment to get to know them, If they annoy you learn to accommodate them, – the chances are they are doing the same thing!!
The next time someone new enters your life they could be a part of your lifestory!
Isaiah 43:19
New International Version (NIV)
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
2 Corinthians 5:17
New International Version (NIV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!
It’s been a while
I’ve been thinking about this blog for a while, its been constantly on my mind for a while and to be honest I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with it.
But I’ve made a decision….. I ‘m going to keep it going
my aim is going to be to publish at least 1 post of interest a week,maybe some fun stuff too, things I’ve seen around, highlight some of my favorite blog posts and articles and some music to.
check back soon for an update
The Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit:
Cannot be manufactured
Cannot be conjured up
Cannot be produced
Cannot be faked
Cannot be created
Cannot be taken
Will not be taken away
It can be grieved
Is Gods awesome presence which is given Once and for always
2 Cor 1:21-22
21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
John 14: 15 -17
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.
Ephesians 1:11 – 14
11 In him we were also chosen,having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Whats Church
Joh 13:14 –
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
Joh 13:34 –
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Joh 13:35 –
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Ro 12:10 –
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves.
Ro 12:16 –
Live in harmony with one another.
Ro 13:8 –
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
Ro 14:13 –
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. .
Ro 15:7 –
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Ro 16:16 – 1Co 16:20 – 2Co 13:12 –
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
1Co 1:10 –
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
Ga 5:13 –
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
Eph 4:2 –
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Eph 4:32 –
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Eph 5:19 –
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
Eph 5:21 –
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Col 3:13 –
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Col 3:16 –
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
1Th 5:11 –
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up
Heb 3:13 –
But encourage one another daily,
Heb 10:24 –
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Heb 10:25 –
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Jas 4:11 –
Brothers, do not slander one another.
1Pe 1:22 –
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.
1Pe 3:8 –
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
1Pe 4:9 –
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1Pe 5:5 –
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another
1Pe 5:14 –
Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
1Jo 1:7 –
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1Jo 3:11 –
This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
1Jo 3:23 –
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
1Jo 4:7 –
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1Jo 4:11 –
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1Jo 4:12 –
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
2Jo 1:5 –
I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.
That’s CHURCH!
Get your Worship Mojo Back!
I have now been worship leader at my church for about 2 months having led at various intervals prior to this.
I was and still am excited to be in the position and to be able to use my Gifts for God. But over the Christmas period a couple of things have occurred which have sapped me of my mojo, and left me feeling a little deflated.
The usual excitement I felt about preparing set lists and practice has all but vanished and I know I need to get it back.
I need to get back to the point where God is in control and no matter what anyone says or does about my worship style or my song choice or even about the songs themselves. What others think is nowhere near as important as what God thinks. I should not look for Mans approval which also means that I should not be worried when there is a little negativity. I need to learn to Concentrate on God and remember that worship is all about him and not me or about someone’s view-point. It’s about giving back to God acknowledging his awesomeness!
I need to spend time with him, one of the issues has been exhaustion. I lead at at least 3 services during the week sometimes 4, I prep songs the day before each service, and try to practice and somewhere I have to find time to learn new stuff , and over the last few months I have spent less and less time with God in prayer about it all, about what he wants. Spending Time with him is vital to keeping weariness at bay.
I need to make sure that I am spending ample time with my family. Cause I work 5 days as well as lead it has had a negative impact on my family life. I know that I need to spend more time with them, my wife and I now have a fortnightly date night which has been amazing and is doing wonders for our relationship but I also need to make sure that my children are happy and spend time with them they need quality time with me and I need quality time with them. I don’t believe for one moment that God would want me to do this thing it was detrimental to my relationships.
If if keep to these simple ideals then I am pretty sure I’ll get my mojo back.
If you lead worship
A- How do you get your mojo back
B- what measures do you take to make sure that you don’t loose you mojo?
Glorious but without glory.
I was challenged recently about the Birth Of Jesus in particular about the lines in a song picked for Christmas this year – Joy Has Dawned.
Joy has dawned upon the world
Promised from creation
God’s salvation now unfurled
Hope for every nation
Not with fanfares from above
Not with scenes of glory
But a humble gift of love
Jesus born of Mary
I was informed that the Lines: “Not with fanfares from above” & “Not with scenes of glory” were in fact incorrect and that the song indeed contradicted its self in the second verse. This is something that I strongly disagreed with.
When I selected this song as one of the possibilities for new Christmas songs I read and re-read the story of Jesus’ Birth Several times over and various other scriptures relating to the birth.
When Jesus was born he was born in a stable after searching for somewhere else to stay. his birth was far from that of the King of Kings we know him to be, which for me is one of the points.
Jesus HAD to be born as humbly as possible without fanfares or any scenes of glory, they were to come later.If Jesus Had been born with bells ringing, Angels singing and fanfares then his birth would have been far from humble.
God could have chosen that moment to part the heavens and send legions of angels and doves and say
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
but he didn’t, He chose to not reveal himself in those first moments of Jesus birth. He chose to reveal all later in Jesus’ baptism by John.
The Story of Jesus birth goes on to tell us that AFTER Jesus’ Birth the Angels appeared to the shepherds the angels tell the Shepherds
“Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11
Notice the wording ” A saviour HAS been born to you.” Again for me the context is important. God chose to send the angels to the shepherds After Jesus had been birthed. It is also at this moment that Angels filled the sky and gave Glory to God.
This was still not in Bethlehem but was on the hillside nearby with the shepherds. (Luke 2:10-15)
For me the lyrics are 100% correct. At the Moment Jesus was Birthed there was no singing there was no fanfare and no glory. IT was the moment when Gods Plan became a reality, the moment that humanity was saved, the moment when God and the Angels probably realised that this IS going to Happen. Gods Only Son was going to be Born a man, was going to live on earth as a Man, was going to be tempted as a man and was ultimately going to die as a man. That moment of Jesus Birthing probably felt like an Age in Heaven.
(you can read Stuart Townend’s explanation here)
Lyrics: Joy Has Dawned.
Joy has dawned upon the world
Promised from creation
God’s salvation now unfurled
Hope for every nation
Not with fanfares from above
Not with scenes of glory
But a humble gift of love
Jesus born of Mary
Sounds of wonder fill the sky
With the songs of angels
As the mighty Prince of Life
Shelters in a stable
Hands that set each star in place
Shaped the earth in darkness
Cling now to a mother’s breast
Vulnerable and helpless
Shepherds bow before the Lamb
Gazing at the glory
Gifts of men from distant lands
Prophesy the story
Gold a King is born today
Incense God is with us
Myrrh His death will make a way
And by His blood He’ll win us
Son of Adam Son of heaven
Given as a ransom
Reconciling God and man
Christ our mighty Champion!
What a Saviour what a Friend
What a glorious mystery
Once a babe in Bethlehem
Now the Lord of history
Stuart Townend & Keith Getty
Copyright © Thankyou Music 2004
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Patient With Me. 