Hurricane Ivan

This is a short post. Ive been on a three day long hen weekend, im tired and I need to go to bed! Im simply posting a thought ive been having recently and hoping that I will expand on it.

When God answers our prayers we praise Him and give thanks for His faithfulness, but what about when we don't seem to see answers to our prayers. Theres the day's that go brilliantly and on the tip of our tongue all day long is'praise the Lord' - but what about the days that dont go so well? to what extent is God in controll of what I do each day and to what extent am I in controll? I will probably not be able to provide the answers for you on blogger.com but we all need to think about these questions.

I read an interesting wee article on the hurricane that was heading for Jamacia. Did God decide to save Jamacia? Where the prayers of Jamacia answered when the prayers of other countries have not been? I think of the children's song 'God controls the wind and stars and rain and snow' (ive got the words wrong, but its along those lines!

this is the link http://www.golocaljamaica.com/readarticle.php?ArticleID=3458

Coming of the Holy Spirit 'Pentecost'

I often forget about Pentecost...... Then I read Acts this morning and was blown away

I spent last week at Castlewellan Holiday Week. It is a week for families who want to spend time with other christians and who also like to wear welly boots and parade around in mud...sounds attractive I know...

I spent the week working with 15 year olds and was totally amazed by their desire to connect with God and grow deeper in their relationship. God is good, He is doing an absolutely amazing work among these young people.

We spent the week teaching the youth how to connect with God through worship, 'destination worship' I found that as I made myself worship, in order to set an example to the kids, God shocked me once again and with revelations of His Spirit in my own life.

We got up early (from our 5* Hotel..a la tent) and spent time time sitting by the lake taking in God's awesome creation. As I looked out on the lake I was reminded that God has given us His Holy Spirit to give us the strength to face any situation. Like a might Eagle soaring across the lake ..that is the power that is within us. I also realised the importance of daily renewal of God's Spirit...

On one occasion during the week the speaker(Andy Frost) asked a boy to take off his shoes so that he could demonstrate the story where Jesus washes the disciple's feet.

Andy covered the boy's feet in dirt, when asked how it felt, the boy answered "weird"

Andy washed the boys feet, when asked how it felt, the boy answered "weird"

Andy asked the boy, how he thought the diciples would have felt when they had their feet washed, the boy answered "weird"........at the time I thought deflated story...does this child know no other word than weird..

I have thought about that word since and that one word has spoke to me a lot.... being a christian is weird! God wants to fill us with His spirit, He wants to enable us to do incredible things beyond our own imagine...He wants us to accept His Spirit freely, receiving God's spirit is a little bit weird...but it is what strengthens us, what helps us connect with Him, it is what enables us to live in a world of Sin.

I have learnt that I need to take time out to let God's spirit fill the void in my life. Now and again is not enough, God wants to fill us up daily, and if we let Him, Just imagine what can be achieved.