Posts filed under 'Reflection'
What have you read recently that inspired you?
Add comment June 26, 2010
More humour required
I’ve been dipping in and out of Devotions for Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life by Charles Swindoll and was struck by his thoughts on humour (in the broadest sense) today. In pages 112-116 he writes clearly on the need for quality humour, ending with three potential action points:
- Start each day with pleasant words. Your family will be the first to benefit.
- Smile more often. I cannot think of many occasions when a smile is out of place.
- Express at least one honest comment of appreciation or encouraging remark to each person you are with during the day. As a Christian, you want to share Christ’s love.
He highlighted these helpful scriptures:
A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:13, 15)
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)
Certainly there is a helpful challenge to smile a little more, and worry a little less.
2 comments June 1, 2010
What do you love most about yourself?
An interesting question from Thought Questions:
Add comment May 13, 2010
The end of paternity leave
The last three and a bit weeks I’ve been on holiday and then paternity leave. Although I’ve not been able to escape work completely it’s been nice to really focus on spending time with Hannah and our wonderful new son Daniel.
Today was my last day before heading back to work, so it was nice to get out of Tonbridge and head down to Hove, to visit James, Youth Minister at Bishop Hannington Church. It was nice to hang out with an old friend (I met James whilst we were both at the University of Exeter), hear how his new job is going, bounce ideas about youth ministry, go to a church where I wasn’t responsible for anything, actually, apart from James and Anna his wife, no-one knew me, and to see their 14-18 year old youth group.
It got me thinking on how I want to spend more time bouncing ideas with youth ministers, but more than that to watch other people’s youth groups. It might be something I start booking a Sunday every term (3 times a year) to go and visit another youth ministry.
What does anyone else do, anyone open to me visiting your youth ministry, or wants to come and have a look at what we do here in Tonbridge?
Add comment March 8, 2010
Atheists give up on Dawkins
Interesting article in the Times on a number of atheists criticising Richard Dawkins for changes to moderation on his website:
The split occurred after he announced that a discussion section on his website, considered one of the busiest online atheist forums, would in future be tightly moderated and “irrelevant postings and frivolous gossip” would no longer be allowed. The change was scheduled for next month but such was the torrent of abuse after the announcement that the forum had to be locked down, deepening the rift between Professor Dawkins and his 85,000 online fans.
Writing on RichardDawkins.net yesterday, in a posting entitled “Outrage”, he said that there was “something rotten” in internet culture and pledged to rid his website of its abusive element:
“Imagine seeing your face described by an anonymous poster, as ‘a slack-jawed turd-in-the-mouth mug’,” he wrote. “Surely there has to be something wrong with people who can resort to such over-the-top language, overreacting so spectacularly to something so trivial. Even some of those with more temperate language are responding to the proposed changes in a way that is little short of hysterical.”The cloak of anonymity under which many people contributed to discussions had led to a culture of extreme language that would not be possible if people wrote under their name.
Unwilling to be silenced, however, the members of the website and the 15 moderators, some of whom worked unpaid, vented their own outrage elsewhere.
“A lot of people have lost respect for Dawkins after this, although I do still support the work that he does,” said Peter Harrison, a former moderator. “Thousands of loyal, intelligent, rational forum members have been misrepresented as a bunch of foul-mouthed, vitriolic thugs by the man who so inspired them.”
In one sense it all seems a bit like a non-story: someone owns a website and wants to stop some of the abusive language that has been happening on it. In another way though it does seem to limit the ethos of free speech that he holds so strongly to.
//
Add comment February 26, 2010
Humility
Each week the staff team start the week with a time of worship and prayer. This week Barry, Head of Community Services was leading, and challenged us on the topic of humility.
As I sit here fourteen hours later, I’m still challenged. For example, what does it mean to act as a conduit between God and people in our community; what does it mean to be pleased with what we’ve been used to do, but not to be proud.
We sang The Servant King by Graham Kendrick, and the words of the last verse and chorus, some big thoughts to dwell on:
So let us learn how to serve, And in our lives enthrone him, Each others needs to prefer, For it is Christ we’re serving
This is our God, the Servant King, He calls us now to follow him, To bring our lives as daily offering, Of worship to the Servant King
Add comment January 25, 2010
2010 a year for …
I love the time between Christmas and New Year. I find it’s a time to make a lot of progress with some of our bigger projects, but I also enjoy the opportunity to think about goals for the coming year. Here are some of the thoughts I scribbled in my journal:
Slowing: the pace I’ve set myself over the last few years isn’t sustainable over a long period of time. When I arrived at Tonbridge Baptist Church I said my intention was to plan to be part of the staff-team, God willing, at least until 2020 (12 years later) but I know I couldn’t keep the pace I’ve kept over the last eighteen months for another day years, it’s time to slow.
Balance: I’m passionate about my work but sometimes I need to remember to invest better in family and friends. I’ve also been challenged to review the different ministries, activities and roles that I have as a youth leader and check the balances to ensure I’m prioritising the most important things.
Growth: I’ve got a real thing about 2010 being a year where I grow personally, and we see real growth, both numerically and in depth within our youth work.
I’m excited about the coming year, what about you, anything that resonates with you.
Add comment January 3, 2010
Prayer of Praise
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father–
the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
the God who saved Moses from the Nile,who rescued your people from Pharaoh,who forgave Aaron for the golden calf, who delivered Jericho into the hands of Joshua;
the God who strengthened Samson and gave courage to Gideon and Jael, the wife of Heber;
the God who showed kindness to Ruth and made Ruth so kind;
the God who cast down Eli and raised up Samuel;
the God who rejected Saul and chose Jesse’s son;
the God who gave king David a heart like yours and gave Solomon wisdom when he prayed;
the God of Elijah’s guts, Elisha’s miracles, and Josiah’s faithfulness;
the God of Job’s patience, Isaiah’s predictions, and Jeremiah’s lamentations;
the God of Ecclesiastes’ questions and Psalm 23’s answers;
the God who sent the Israelites into Babylon and brought them back again;
the God who promised that the valley of dry bones would live and the glory would return to the temple;
the God who saved Daniel from the Lion’s den, the three men from the fiery furnace, and Gomer from herself;
the God of John the Baptist’s boldness, Paul’s brain, and Stephen’s angelic face;
the God of Mary, Elizabeth, Mary and Martha, and all the other godly women who loved Jesus;
the God of Peter, Andrew, James and John, and all the other men who messed things up at first, but followed Christ faithfully until the end;
the God of apostles and prophets, saints and martyrs;
the God of rebels and reformers, puritans and patriarchs;
the God of life and death, of giving and taking away;
the God of electing love and second chances–
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever.
(Thank you Kevin DeYoung)
Add comment December 1, 2009
Bolt destroy 100m world record
As I was driving to our pre-camp leaders’ social I heard the commentary to tonight’s 100 metre sprint. How awesome was that race. To run 100 metres in 9.58 seconds is amazing!
The 100 metres is always the big event, but tonight was a massive event. It was the first time this season that Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay have raced this season. The pre-race sounded very interesting with Darren Campbell trying to ignore the cameras, Tyson Gay being focused on the challenge, and Usain Bolt bigging himself up to the camera “I’m ready, are you ready? Let’s go!”
But Bolt then proves himself by destroying the opposition. Tyson Gay ran the fastest time any US citizen has ever run but still looked poor in comparison with Bolt. Bolt’s time of 9.58s is the biggest decrease in the record since electronic timing was introduced in 1968.
We spent time in church this morning reflecting on how we were uniquely created and that “Everything you do is marvellous” Psalm 139:14. Bolt really puts that into practice, what an amazing run.
Add comment August 16, 2009
Books I have read: Crazy Love
Whilst enjoying the sunshine at Hever Castle today I finished Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan, and I loved it.
It reminded me of reading The Organic God last year in the way that it was easy to read, covered a broad view of faith, and challenged me go deeper. His premise is that God loves us in an amazing, crazy way but what is our response. So often we’re lazy, half-hearted but view ourselves as good. Chan challenges us to go deeper and further.
A few quotes as a taster:
Do not assume you are good soil (p. 67)
We are on a never-ending downward escalator. In order to grow we have to turn around and sprint up the escalator, putting up with perturbed looks from everyone else who is gradually moving downward. (p. 95)
How would my life change if I actually thought of each person I came into contact with as Christ? (p. 118)
What are you doing right now that requires faith? (p. 125)
Probably my favourite book of 2009 so far.
4 comments June 30, 2009
Fingermaze Meditation
Nice clip designed as a meditation aid on the theme of identity. It was produced by www.beyondchurch.co.uk
Add comment June 22, 2009
Psalm 145: God’s provision
Two weeks ago, Paul, my boss, led staff worship with some reflections on Psalm 145. Ever since then I keep coming back to this beautiful psalm of praise. The part that really struck a chord with me was verses 15-16:
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open up your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The way in which God satisfies our desires, if we let him, is something that has been going through in my head since then. Partly I think in response to the difficulties we have been having regarding our house move from Brentwood to Tonbridge, and I think in our wider scale of am I truly looking to God to provide for me, to excite me, to satisfy me.
Alongside this was the phrase ‘at the proper time’. God works in His time not ours. Simple to say, very difficult to understand but something I am learning more about.
Are you allowing God to satisfy your desires?
Add comment July 25, 2008
Our spiritual rooting
Someone told me about this beautiful quote of Mark Yaconelli’s recently:
We cannot hope to touch the hearts of young people if we have lost our own spiritual rooting!
So true, as you try to reach young people, do you ensure you prioritise your own spiritual rooting before you try to grow theirs? Think about it.
Add comment June 22, 2008
Holidays as rest time?
Lifehack wrote a while ago about Summertime: Rehab Time for Workaholics. I (and certainly others) would class myself as at times being a workaholic. That makes the holiday times really important. I need to be refreshed, but at the same time I still have a thirst for achieving. For me that always leads to the question of balance: I need to sleep lots but at the same time how do I feel achievement – is it through reading books, playing sport? Who knows, something to think about.
What do you do about resting and holidays?
Add comment June 20, 2008
Taking a day off to the glory of God
1 Corinthians 10:31:
So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Today, a Tuesday, my usual day off, I will glorify God by redirecting my trust in him from work to rest. I work by faith in him, I rest by faith in him.
On this day of rest, by his grace, I will slow down, trusting in his all-sufficiency. I will pay more attention to my awesome wife, mow the lawn, ignore my mobile phone, and (even maybe!) my e-mail, try (at least) not to fuss in my mind, cook dinner for Hannah, wear jeans, enjoy West Wing series 6, linger over the Bible for an great quiet time, think carefree thoughts all day long – in general, just let the world go by with a Sabbath-faith in God while knowing that tomorrow morning my work will be cheerfully waiting for me, demanding my full attention again, as it should, but none the worse for having had to wait.
It’s Tuesday. I will glorify God.
3 comments June 10, 2008
In …
In …
serving
being,
laughing,
crying,
eating,
drinking,
sharing,
loving,
breaking,
being broken,
singing,
meditating,
living,
I have touched the incomparable Jesus.
(Thanks to Johnny )
Add comment April 3, 2008
Bug – World Vision magazine – the power of a mosquito
I receive Bug from World Vision every so often. The quote on the front page caught my eye:
If you think you’re too small to make a difference you haven’t been to bed with a mosquito in your room.
Great quote – we can use all kinds of excuses to not bother doing things, the classic concept that it isn’t worth the effort, we won’t manage to change the world. In some ways we are right, a one man campaign won’t necessarily make a large difference, but individuals can and have time and time again made a difference. Just think of people such as Wilbeforce, Mandela, Mother Theresa and the way in which they changed the world’s perspective on issues. So what is it that you need to take a stand for, what is it that you just need to get on and do it.
Add comment March 27, 2008
Want to change the world? Change yourself
Famous quote by Leo Tolstoy:
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
Great thoughts, whilst dreaming of changing the world, making a difference in the community, in our church, in a local school, with some young people, do we reflect on simple but powerful changes we could make to ourself.
So often as Christians we can be guilty of talking about changing the world but doing the opposite in our lives. Looking to be green but still driving the car for small journeys, filling the kettle too much, leaving our mobile phone charger on all the time. We talk about the unfairness of life for farmers in Africa and South America, and yet we still buy Tesco Value or Sainsbury’s Basics – we still look for the cheapest deal. We talk about developing community yet we still don’t know what are neighbours are called, let alone had them round for dinner.
As we rightly want to change the world, let us remember to start with ourselves.
Add comment March 20, 2008
