For those of you reading these simple thoughts for sometime, you will no doubt realise we are coming to a close on a season.
A season where for the last few years I have enjoyed sharing with you my thoughts and feelings.
A season where I have learnt as much as anyone reading these about how big and unlimited a life adventure with God can be.

Today I was thinking about something I can not avoid…
Renovations…

Now if you know me very well you will know that I am not a handyman. I am the first to admit I don’t enjoy working around the home on stuff. I much prefer hanging out with people and drinking lots of COFFEE!!!

Renovations are messy.
You have stuff everywhere.
You find it harder to find things around all the upheaval.
But eventually you finish and it is always worth while.
The short term drama is worth the result.

Early next week we a removing the lino in the kitchen and getting it sanded and resealed.
Again it won’t be much fun getting it done.
But it will satisfying afterwards.

As we move into a new season in our life...going to Taupo to Pastor a great little church...it feels a little uncomfortable as we work through the preparations.
But I know it will be so worth it!In fact is an exciting little adventure.

Don’t shy away from this mucky stuff in life.
Don’t avoid it at all.
Press on.
Press in and see what great new season you can enter into after a short time.
As always keep your eyes on him who is calling you forward into your future...and him who is moving you from your past.

Something to think about...

Someone recently prayed that I would have an opportunity to pastor my own church…
...the next day I got a call offering me such a role.

We prayed about getting our kids into a certain school…
...and found a home in the right school zone.

I prayed for a certain meeting I was nervous about to go better than I expected…
...and it was awesome.

I have asked for God to provide certain things I need…
...and he has!

I think I pray for stuff all the time.
And then promptly forget that I had asked for it…
...then God makes it work out.
...and then I remember...

I wonder if sometimes we pray, not expecting anything?
Like prayer is some religious thing to do and it not being something that changes your life, circumstances and/or everything?...

Hopefully you get the idea that prayer works!
That when you pray, when you talk to God…
...that he actually hears.
And his heart is to answer.
I just find I have to remind myself regularly that this is how it works.

Jesus even said for us to ask, seek and knock.
To bring our requests to the one place, the one God who can actually do something for us.

Why not give it a go today?
Again and again…

Something to think about...

It seems that the big adventure into our new role has rolled into play so fast!
It only seems a few week a go that we said the word yes.
And that yes his exploded into lots of activity.

One thing that I have been doing is meeting lots of new people. And I means lots.
I have had curry’s and chili's.
Lots of desserts.

The thing I realise is that what makes it fun is that I am hanging out with people! There is something exciting about learning about someone else’s life. Getting to know them even just a little bit at a time.
As corny as it may sound, it really does add some sort of richness to your life.

Then I think about Jesus and how he lived…
And there are tons of stories where he just hung out with people. In houses, on the side of the large hills, beside a well, in a garden, the list is endless!
And so many times there was food. Maybe not curry’s and chili's but food to share just the same.

I think this is normal!
It is normal to get to know more and more people.
It is normal to have opportunity to share life and your stories with others.
Plus you will never run out of this opportunity because I bet you can’t meet all 6 billion on the earth in a lifetime!

Maybe what I wanting to say is this?...To make sure you meet as many people as you can.
To let you light, the seasoning of who you are...get into as much of this world as possible.
Don’t hide, you are too awesome for that!
Get out there. Meet as many people as you can.
And see what God can do through you as you do.

Something to think about...

Here is another phrase that gets used in church a lot these days that you may or may not have been thinking about…

People keep referring to the times we get together as coming to the House of God.
It is like it is a reference to a place you come too, and at the end leave.

Personally I like the deeper meaning that can be found in the statement. It takes it beyond a place to go to being a place we create!

1 Peter 4-5
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house

We are living, spiritual stones...that make something amazing when we join together.
Apart, we are amazing and loved by God.Together, we make something very special.
Together we create a structure that we call the House of God.

The Bible says that when two or more are gathered in his (God’s) name, he (God) will be there and hang out with them. It is this concept that of joining spiritual lives together that invites the power and presence of God.

So when you come to Church or meet together in a Connect Group or whatever else you find yourself at…
Remember that very act creates a special house.
A place where God can come visit.
And where God is...amazing things can happen!

Something to think about...