It was a massively long day today. I left the house at 6.00am and got home just after 8.00pm. The weird thing is, I am not tired. It’s been such a energizing day!

Sharron drove today to head office, so conversation was good and info was shared on the way to, and back from, Birmingham. It’s great to be able to just chat with a good friend now and again.

Our YFC team meeting this morning was so exciting in addition to just being able to catch up with people I have not seen since staff conference. Exciting things are happening; such as 350 young people in a school signing up for a Youth Alpha and over 100 young men in a Young Offender institute signing up for a Mettle Group. How exciting is all that!!! I can’t believe people when they say God is not working in this country.

I’m too excited to sleep! At least it means I can catch up on some reading -a sure way to induce sleepiness!

… do we help people like her?

I had the rel pleasure of working with Pip from OSBD a couple of years back when he produced the Whose Life Video for us. A really nice and brilliantly creative bloke.

I like this idea of people sending in their epiphany moments via their camera phones. You can contribute your experience of God; more details here.

As well as Lent starting today, Rejesus launches the Truth Behind the Da-Vinci Code.
I’m looking forward to looking at that.

Personally, when I read the book a few years ago outside the caravan I thought it was a good fast moving story. It’s not greatly written, it’s no Hardy or Banks, but it was a good read. About a year later, when the book arrived in paperback, I could not believe the fuss this novel has caused.

It’s a novel, a story, a conspiracy fantasy escapism book. I enjoyed it!

I had a great day today with Mid Norfolk YFC, listening to their dreams for mission and how to reach out into a rural setting.

We heard dreams of sports ministry, bus ministry, cafe ministry – and a real desire to see normal, everyday young people be able to connect with their God.

Rachael will now be putting together their proposal and I’m really looking forward to seeing and hearing exciting things happening there.

and I’m interested to see where it might go!
You can click on the Lent Image to get there.

What a dire weekend for sport if you are both a Gillingham and an English rugby fan! Neither team seemed to get started and it amazed me how the emotion of being defeated can affect me, especially when I know ‘my team’ is capable of so much more!

For the last 2 games I have also taken Joe along with Tom and myself. I have at last found a good use for the £10 off vouchers given to season ticket holders that renewed early. In effect I get a free ticket for Joe as it usually only costs £7 to get him in.

Anyway … watching Joe at the match, and chatting on the way home, it is clear that the result is only part of the event for him. Yes, he’s upset that we did not win, but he still has a great time despite the result. The actual event of going to watch ‘his team’ is what brings the enjoyment for him, and not just the end result.

This kind of pulled me up short, particularly as I can remember those days when I loved watching whether we lost or not – it’s the beauty of the game of football! Of course, I want to win – but the game of football itself is a great game.

Joe has shown me, in a real and concrete way, that I have lost my initial enthusisam. It’s become all about winning. It’s become all about the quality of the performance. I have lost my first love.

In a way, that’s not too dis-similar to church.

I remember the days I went to church, just becuase I wanted to meet with God and with other people. I went to present myself and to hear wisdom from the preacher, insights from the Holy Spirit, and to give what I had to God. It did not matter what the service was like, who was preaching, what we were looking at – I was just pleased to be there to be able to thank God for what he had done.

It seems I may have lost my first love here too!
Realising this just before Lent, could be good thing!

Our Short Term Lent Community Blog is ready to go on Wednesday.
It’s not too late f you wish to join us – just drop me an email and I’ll add you to the members list.

now we can all be treated the same; read here

Helen says more.

The ReJesus site is excellent. If you have not been there for a while, or at all, then go have a look!

Brown’s Da Vinci Code was an excellent read and the film will be relesed in May. It’s kinda weird the way a novel has re-envigorated conspiracy theories – but it has. Brown has skillfully pulled together myths to produce a good fast exciting read.

From March 1st ReJesus will be exploring the claims of the DaVinci Code – watch this space. The new banner on the side will link to this from march.