Last night I got back from my first two day training block for Transit, the 24-7 leadership course that I'll be doing for the next nine months. It was a pretty intense couple of days but all in all I'm pretty excited about the coming year...
I'm kind of an exception on the course, all the others are base in a Boiler Room community to live out the values we're exploring. I'm still based in Chi and continuing my current role in 24-7 as my outworking. I have Charlotte and Samie with me who are both involved in the hosting and organisation so I had a few lonely lunch times with the bizarre feeling that I was the kid who started school in the middle of term and has to push herself to break into the friendship groups already formed.
It's fine, I've just been tired and run down with a cold so in place of my usual extroverted, over confident behavior I've been quiet, stepping back from the group rather than pushing in. Unusual for me.
The teaching itself is fantastic! I'm really enjoying the discussion, exploration and expansion of themes like prayer, mission, justice and rhythms of life. The most edifying element by a long way is the Bible study. We're going through the Bible in nine months and tracing the thread of God's story and intention through the Old and New Testaments.
I'm loving Genesis! So much drama, disaster, redemption and grace. I'm enjoying debating, looking at different interpretations of passages and tracing the consequences of people actions and decisions throughout the generations after them.
Small things capture my imagination; like did you know that the second day of creation was the only one that God did not declare was good? No wonder Mondays are so rubbish if even God didn't love them! God's grace to Adam and Eve after their fall from perfection (making them clothes so they wouldn't freeze - it's a very loving gesture to rebellious children) and the Father's allusion to His son in Genesis when cursing the serpent/Satan who led humanity astray... the fruit of Eve's whom will crush your head beneath His heal...
Even just after the betrayal God was already intending to give the life of His son to defeat the work of Satan and open the door for man to return and walk with God... That really is incredible. I've known God for about 11 years now. I measure my Christianity from the year I was baptised because I know that's the first decision I made to walk with God for myself, separate to my parents.
But in all those years there's still so much I don't know. So much of the Father, Son and Spirit I don't understand; many layers of their character and motives that I have yet to grasp. This year I want to know my Creator, my Saviour and my Friend better. This year I want to walk with them closer than before... xc