The last couple of month have been pretty hectic. Managed to get through the exam period ok and now have lots of time of in lieu to take so I can have a relaxing summer. Then I went with the Form team to Syria and Lebanon to pray and chat with people. It was a very amazing experience and deserves a full blog of its own, which I will endeavour to do at some point soon. Then Tom and I went to Ireland for 5 days for a Form centre-leaders meeting with the other guys who run Form, or its equivalent, around the globe. It was really great to hang out with some like-minded people, exchange ideas and feel inspired for the future. Now all we need are more formettes for next year. Oh, just so you can start getting your head round it, Form will be no loner so-called from September. We, in the Vineyard, are branding ourselves as 'Via' (meaning the Way). It'll be fun to put a Vineyard swing on things.
Briefly, things I have been thinking about and challenged on:
Israel and Lebanon - gutted. Many have mentioned how glad we must be to have got back just before it all started. To be honest Tom and I are actually more overwhelmingly concerned for those we have left behind. Thankfully 3 of our closest contacts have managed to leave already. I can't help thinking of one woman though who told us how glad she was that Syria had finally left and Israel was no longer there, having grown up in the war and lost many family members and friends to it. She felt really free and energised and happy. Now I guess things are back to the way they have always been for her. Just gutting. Please do pray for a solution to come up, that justice would be paid out by God and not by man.
Healing - we're looking through the topic of healing in housegroup at the moment and it's super challenging to try and figure your way through it, trying to figure out what is experience and fear and what is God. We met some of the people who head up the healing on the streets at Causeway Coast Vineyard whilst over in Ireland and were really inspired. They see it - every Saturday!!!! How can that be denied?
Time Management - what to do with my free time. I only work part time and I have spent time asking god what he'll let me do with the other 2.5 days a week. I could easily fill it with many things but want the best. I feel challenged at the moment to make time to sit in cafes and pray for prophetic thigns for people. I have longed to see it happen for such a long time but have now felt quite strongly the push from god to actually do something about it myself!