Mondays I spend time with God, studying His word, writing down my thought, praying and reading my book (Celebration of Disipline by Richard Foster) There are 8 christain disciplines: the inward disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and study; the outward disciplines of simplicity and submission; and the corporate or community disciplines of confession and worship. I have so far covered the first 3 and I have been challenged a lot, especially concerning Fasting and even though Jesus did not command us to did , it was naturally expected and He gave clear outlines as to how it should be done. Not for a physical benifit (loosing weight rapidly, looking good etc) but as an opportunity to focus on God and draw closer to Him; something which I think mst of us long to do, and this is why I have been challenged as to 'why after 10 years of faith I have never practiced this 'Discipline''?
Please pray that as I read more of this book I learn more about the love and joy of God. That I can impliment what I learn into my daily life and not just treat this book as a study guide. Please pray for a heart and a time to Fast whilst I'm in France too.
There are 2 major things that the church is involved with whilst I'm here, which are rapidly coming up. you can keep an eye on them and find out more on the internet.
The first is the Normandy Prayer walk which starts next tuesday (5th June) http://www.prayerexpeditions.org/?Walks:2007_Normandy_Beaches.
The second is the Jour J conference which is at the end of July http://www.jour-j-normandie.fr/index_en.html where I am going to help with the Youth, and lead a group from Nexus (christian music college http://www.nexustrust.co.uk/nexus/nexus_location.asp)
Please pray for these events; that they go smoothly, that the Lord meets with everyone involved, bring them new revelations of Him and that the hearts of all those involved are touched. Pray for new relationships and contacts through the walk. Pray the the Holy Spirit comes into Normandy and uses the church in Lisieux as a beacon in the dark; turning peoples eyes and hearts towards the miracles that are unfolding in the church.
I still feel like my language is rubbish, and I'm not getting anywhere. I need to have more time to study or concentrate in my french. I get tto listen, speak and read French but I need to look at the grammar and spend time doing translations.
Please pray for the time to study the french language properly, to take in the new things I learn, to find a teacher or person who can help me especially with grammar, and a brain and heart that is open to learning and unafraid to make mistakes.
My week is becoming quite routine and organised, which I quite like (see other blog), but it still has places for improvisation and flexibilty. I feel like I know where I am and what I am doing at he moment and I like it. I feel that I have settled into life here and made some friends. I have enough people that I can talk to at church so that I feel like part of the church and have little things that are mine to do. thank you to those of you that prayed for this. Please keep praying....
Youth on Friday was funny: we all had our faces painted to act out the story if Job who despite all of his afflictions, suffering and losses NEVER once complained and said it was God's fault - what an example, what a person to live up to - I know I definatley can't and don't do it - but with the power of the Holy Spirit I belive almost anything is possible!!!!!!!!!
Please pray for Joel, Will, Luc, Jamie, Helen and Hannah, who are the 'Cellule des Jeunes' at Eglise de la Source: that they may grow in faith, strengthen their understanding of how amazing God is and learn to put God into their daily lives. Please pray that depsite the age range of the group (12-17) that they get on, work as a team and help each other.
On Saturday I was in charge of looking after children at the Alpha Weekend so that adults could help, participate and generally get on with adult things, however I couldn't make up my mind (still can't) as to weather I was an adult or a child so I ate the cake, drank the coffe and chatted like an adult, and ate the pankecakes, played cache cache (hide and seek - but in french just hide hide - no finding involved obviously!!!), and climbed the tree, played table tennis and drew pictures. I ate so much food over the weekend I thought i was going to explode!!!!
Sunday was the same thing: children, eating, drawing but no playing because it was WET, as usual in Normandy!! Then back to the church for the service, where I was helping out with the youth. I really felt over the weekend that the kids didn't really understand why almost all the church was together and they couldn't go into one particular room, so it was time to explain the purpose and meaning of Alpha http://uk.alpha.org/youth/welcome/default.html#1
Most of them got it but I was quite surprised and worried when none of the kids said that they have ever talked about Jesus, the bible, God or Church at school: I felt odd because at their age at school I was often talking about my faith and proudly wearning a cross pendant to school. I wonder if it is harder for youth today or if I was just unaware of the negitivity of others towards the church and christianity in general.
!!!!! I'd love some feed back on this actually..... How do and can you bring your faith and the big questions of life into daily conversation at school? Is it really that weird and freaky to be seen as a Chrisitian? Do youth groups and young adults need to give more advice and support to the youth to help then or do the youth have something to teach us (me) about being a christian in an increasingly secular world? !!!!!!!
Please pray for the people on the Alpha course, especially Bruno and Lydia, that they lay find a strong and loving Saviour in Jesus Christ our King, that thay are able to give Him all their hurst and history and to trust them with the rest of their lives. Pray that He breaks into their hearts and heals them from the past as well, showing them a bright and glorious future on earth as well as in heaven.
