Amazed & Confused

Mein Freund!

I feel like a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders! This morning I gave my talk on Ezekiel 1 and reaching goals God´s way to a room full of Kings Kids leaders. I was pretty scared (actually that´s the understatement of the century). I got a chance to meet the lovely and very inspiring Trent Sheppard and he spoke (very well) last night. I was beginning to feel the pressure...

I could probably use few unladylike metaphors to adequately describe how terrified I was but I will refrain. After a slight cultural boo boo on my part (I was asked to change into a T-shirt that didn´t show any tummy - very nicely though!) things went well.

Markus, Jonah, Micha, Dorle and Trent were really encouraging and just before I stood to speak two KKers shared a picture they´d seen when praying for me; they saw my ear pressed against God´s heart and then lightning coming from my mouth. Rather encouraging, and rather like a picture God gave me a month ago that I had cheekily forgotten about.

Thank you to all of you who prayed. I was able to think and speak clearly regardless of my nerves and though some of it wasn´t quite as I wanted, I think I managed to communicate what was on my heart. Markus did a fantastic job of translating! I began my talk introducing myself in German... GCSEs come in handy after all; though I did accidentally introduce Markus as my boyfriend due to a slight gramatical error. Never mind. I´m sure it seemed romantic to everyone else though I was completely unaware and Markus looked a little embarrassed!

The last thing to do is share a few stories in tomorrow´s meeting and then it´s off to Cologne for the night before catching my flight to Seville Monday morning. Bring on that cafe con leche! Blogging has been a real God send since I´ve been away. I´ve been travelling for a week now but I feel like I´m in touch and have brought all of you with me. I really can´t tell you what your prayers, texts, comments and emails have meant to me. They´ve often come when I´m feeling my most nervous. I have felt very loved, thank you.

NB. I´ve had a song by Moneybrother going round in my head since I saw them Monday night. Can´t wait to teach you! All together now in a falcetto voice... "If you gotta problem... Don´t call the police!"

Let your mess be yes...

Today was Herhurt day! Markus showed Jonah, Chase and I around the Library, Cemetary, Tower and Zini's place. (If you have no idea what I' talking about then you need to read Red Moon Rising and then you need to read the just released The Vision & The Vow - seriously!) It was pretty cool, not for any superspiritual reason, mainly because it was so normal. We saw kids go to school, dustmen collecting rubbish and Zini's house being rebuilt. It was pretty refreshing.

Even the Order of the Mustard Seed rings and medalions were displayed to us in an old chocolate box! Very surreal, very humble. I've been thinking a lot about vow and covenant, I've been nervous about making a commitment like that because I'm aware of my own weaknesses. I'm a very emotionally driven person, I would be nervous of making decisions and commitments led by hype. I also struggle with maintaining discipline; I'm worried that if I ever entered into a covenant with God then I'd fail before I even began. Guess He know's that already though...

Whiskey, whiskey everywhere...

What a fabulously exotic couple of days!!!
Jonah and I have decided that we're gonna go get pierced together this week but after an unsuccessful treck around Dresden we've postponed til Seville. Jonah needs a couple of whiskies down him before he'll sit calmly! (Only joshing!)

During our travels Chase Reeves (an American travelling Europe, who had been in Chi last week helping in the office) rings us from Dresden station saying he's come to visit. Very rock n roll. Say hi Chase... "Hi." Together with our new edition we retired to the local german/Russian restaurant and whiskey bar where we sampled some fine quisine and even finer Irish malt! The place was exactly what a whiskey bar should look like. V deshevled from the outside with a single red bulb illuminating the doorway and sand for flooring by the bar. I truly coulnd't make this up!

Take a bow...

I wanted to take a few minutes this morning just to write and say thank you to everyone who has prayed for me in the last few days. God's really been close to me and I've felt your prayers working!

I haven't slept this well in months and I feel really relaxed. Even though I've had a few early starts and lots of travel I'm inexplicably refreshed!

The talk I was worried about doing this weekend at the Kings Kids conference now sounds like lots of fun. Markus spoke to Norbert the organiser this morning and cleared up a few misscommunications and my talk brief. I'm beginning to suspect they may be a lot like 24-7 but their humour was lost in translation. I'm feeling a lot more relaxed about it now and taking some time to get stuck into talk prep today.

I appreciate all the prayers you've already prayed! If your chatting to God today please ask him to help me prepare for my talk. He's already turned this week into as good as a holiday, ain't he just wonderful like that?

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

I just watched eternal sunshine again, tucked up on Markus and Andrea's sofa... I cannot fault this film. Jim Carrey gives his best (and most contained) performance to date. If you haven't seen is you really need to; it's about love, reality, regret, consequences, pain and hope. Something different strikes me everytime I watch it. This evening the lines that struck me most were...

Clementine: "Joel, this is it. Soon this will be gone."
Joel: "I know"
Clementine: "What do we do?"
Joel: "Enjoy it..."

NB: Saw the most awesome gig last night... a Swedish group called Moneybrother! Will tell more when I have a spare moment. Off to bed now; night, night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite! zzz

Dresden calling!

Ok, much kudos to the wonderfully generous Ben McIntyre who turned up at my office on Friday to give me a wee going away present of an electric Spiderman toothbrush! I mean, how much cooler can you get? Spidey has now accompanied me to Plymouth, home to Grendon and now to the lovely Dresden! (See me and Spidey toothbrush left!)

I really like Dresden; it's different to the way I remember it from my last visit. It's light (sunny even!); a bustling friendly metropolis. I tried the smile-at-people-in-the-street test and the results were very positive!

Was pretty pooped when I got here so I had a siesta (in preperation for Seville!) I'm staying oposite a gorgeous gothic Lutheran Cathedral and Markus is already talking excitedly about all the trips he has planned for us over the next couple of days! Lots of laughs I feel!

NB: Had a great time with my family... Mum cooked the most delicious roast (I may not be a man, but the way to my heart has always been thru my stomach!) Lili entertained us with musical numbers from Anastasia, Abi talked excitedly about the enw series of Battlestar Gallactica (Darn it I wish I had Sky!) and my parents just sat back with bemused expressions of contentment as their children laughed until they felt sick! Love u all v much! VERY COOL PICS OF MY SIS AND BRO NOW IN MY FRIENDLY FACES ALBUM...

One down...

Thank you to everyone who prayed for me yesterday! I could really feel your prayers taking effect. The day in Plymouth went fine, and the trains could almost have been described as smooth! I was absolutely bricking it when it came to speaking at the evening meeting but the Steve guys and the lovely Doug Ross were on hand with grins and encouragement and it went pretty well: THANK YOU GOD!

I've really appreciated all your prayers, text messages, comments and emails. I feel really loved and supported! I will try to post throughout the coming couple of weeks to let you know how it's going, but if I'm a little quiet for a few days please forgive me.
Love to you all
xc

I'd appreciate your prayers!

Hi Guys, I've got a busy couple of weeks coming up ('what's new' I hear you cry - and you wouldn't be out of order.) I've been pretty busy for the last couple of months and quite predictably I'm pretty weary. The good news is the coming couple of weeks are fun busy and then after that I'm A LOT less busy for a whole month! Hurrah, I may even take a holiday!

I'd really apreciate your prayers for the coming weeks though, lots of travel and I'm speaking a couple of times. In my current weary state I'm really relying on God to get me through. So here's run down of my itinary and some stuff you can pray for...

Saturday 23rd October
I am speaking in Plymouth at a youth day called In:vision. The theme is 'identity' and I'm preparing a creative prayer workshop and then speaking in the evening on Esther. Being faithful to God and being ready to act... I'm really looking forward to it, please pray for...
***Sleep, I sleep really badly and usually get nervous nightmares before I do anything like this. I really don't want to have any tonight.
***Safe travel, I was hoping to travel with someone but unfortunately it seems the whole of Chichester is busy this weekend so I'm on my own. Really not ideal, but a few people I know will be there. I'm getting the train so please pray I make my connections.
***Hear God, I don't just want to turn up and rattle off an ok talk, I really want to hear from God, encourage and inspire these guys to pray.

Monday 25th - Thursday 28th October
I'm flying to Berlin and taking the train to Dresden to hang out with Markus, Andrea and Jonah for a few days. Really looking forward to it! Please pray for...

Bear necessities!

Just got back from London, ready and raring to go with 24-7's roud table report but made the fatal mistake of sifting through my emails first. Amateur error... I have now lost the will to live! In an attempt to reawaken my mind I thought I'd empty it of thoughts from this mornings AWESOME National Prayer Breakfast...

After getting up at 5.30am to get there on time Toggers and I were ready to up and leave when we weren't served a full English! The cheek of it! However this was the only dissapointment of the morning as we were sitting in Westminster Hall (Henry the 8th used to play tennis in there apparently - bit chilly - especially if your wearing a skirt!). The building is very beautiful and the whole breakfast was conducted with humility and sincerity... I guess I didn't really know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised!

Toggers, who's a regular in Westminster these days, whispered as we walk in that there are references to God and the Christian foundations of this government in every room you walked into. It's like God had peppered himself throughout the building. It was much the same with the MP's. There were many there from all over the country, from every political party, and though they are a minority they are passionate about Jesus and seeing the UK revolutionised. One MP described them not as proud men but journey men in Christ...

Bear Grills was the most inspiring of the morning though. He spoke simply about his life, his ambitions and the simple passion of his faith. He really moved me (I actually creid - Toggers too, but don't tell him I told you!), he said...

"We're embarrassed when people say our faith is a crutch, it makes us sound weak, but I am weak. It makes us sound needy, but I do need it. I desperately need Jesus and I've learnt to be honest about that."

The MP that leads the Parlaimentary Christian Fellowship (PCF), Alistair Burt, spoke about prayer. He mentioned the 24-7 week that happened there over the summer and how that was gonna be the key to the coming year. He announced a year of prayer for parlaiment, for individual MP's and for God's Kingdom to be established in the UK. It was a real goosebump moment! Toggers and I just stared at each other pretty wide eyed. I think 2005 with 12 potential years of unbroken prayer, prayer in parlaiment, our 5th Brithday, a fresh Missions push and the national elections... shall be a very interesting year to be alive!

Mummy Wow, I'm a big wig now!

So much to say soooo little time!
As I have to be awake again in 5 hours I will rush through my day at stella speed! It's been rather glamorous I have to say!

***I met the lovely Carol for breakfast to chat about the way forward as my cell mutiplies/devides (delete as preferred) tomorrow night. Hurrah and Sob! V. exciting but also a little sad. Carol you're gonna make an amazing cell leader! I can feel it in my bones.

***After much packing and rushing for trains I ended up in the Shakespeare pub opposite Victoria having lunch with the lovely Siobhan and Chantelle (Uni friends for those who are unfamiliar - long live Chichester Dancers Class of 2002!) Girls I loved catching up!!! I always enjoy nattering Chan - I'm so glad that everythings going ok for you. Siobh - you are lovely! I smile thinking of you. Would you be willing to go on a date with on of my Chi friends? I think you'd be great together!!!

***At 4.30 the glowing Munchkin (aka little Kerry), Branca and Claire turned up for a drink. Girls I loved seeing you! It's been too long! Lets go clubbing when I'm back in London in November!

***NOW FOR THE GLAM BIT! At 5.30 I met Toggers beneath Big Ben dressed to the nines to go to a service and reception for the National Prayer Breakfast tomorrow IN THE HOUSES OF PARLAIMENT!