Sunshine and rain

Well, it's hard to believe it's been 7 months. Over the past few weeks I've been really excited, and there is the potential for so much to happen this year here.

Saturday the 6th of May, about 7 of us from my tuesday night home group held a 1940's themed birthday party. We rented out a hall over in Eastergate and decoreated the room in 1940's style. Food, music and dancing (there may be a very embarrasing video of me dancing posted online at some point in the near future...don't worry, I'll let you know when and where!)

Last week from Monday through Friday I was pretty much out of comission with a head cold. When I was finally better I didn't feel at all prepared for the weekend. Saturday was a very full day with a large portion going to the Holy Spirit day (part of the Alpha course we're running here). Over the last 10 weeks we have run a very successful Alpha course. For those of you who maybe don't know what an Alpha course is, it is a place where people can come and find out about the Christian faith in a friendly and warm atmosphere over a hot meal. I have been a part of the course in a supporting role over the last 5 weeks or so, and it has been interesting to watch the changes that are happening in the non-christians who have been coming along.

Saturday was a big day of prayer and finding out more of who God is. After the day away, I went to a barbeque for one of my friends to celebrate her birthday. I had to leave the party a early to go attend another church event over in Chitchester (ReturnUK). I was quite tired after that, and decieded not to go meet up with another friend's birthday party....so it was a full weekend.
Sunday was church and over the last 4 weeks now we have been running a youth Alpha course. This has been a very good experience so far, and I am convinced this is due to the team really coming together in the support of the vision. we hope to see young people develop their faith and experience the love that God has for them. I can say that so far that goal has been met more than I expected, and it has been wonderful to see the youth growing in their faith. Please pray for this course as we continue on over the next few weeks. There is so much potential for good relationships and mentoring here, and it is our goal to do our part in making sure that growith continues to happen. Ultimately, without God in it, we won't see anything longterm, and I cannot stress how key the longterm impact needs to be.

Recently I have had a deep desire to see more of God. I want to see more people coming to faith, and more people finding freedom from the various issues that are keeping them tied down in one respect or another. I firmly believe God wants to do so much more here in Bognor. Over the last two days however, I have come to discover that the price to pay can be a bit painful. Personally I have been challenged to put aside my pride and my expectations or assumptions of how God wants to work. I don't know if you can relate to the feeling of pushing down pride and the desire to have everything worked out, and going through spiritual discipline...if you can relate then you know what I mean when I say that the more I see of God's plan, the more frustraited I can be at the fact that I need to rely on God for EVERYTHING.

While the challenges can feel immensly difficult at times, I do find that I am consistantly humbled at the many ways in which God shows his faithfulness and confirms that this is indeed, where I am supposed to be. And I wouldn't trade that for anything.

This next week a lot is unfolding. I have been asked to take on more leadership in the trip to Soul Survivor (the big summer youth conference here in England). I'm aiming to get away sometime and hopefully go see France or Scotland. I know the summer will get busy very fast, and before that happens I hope to have a chance to get away and recharge my batteries. Please pray that God opens a door for me to have some good time away and soon.

I hope this entry finds you well. I do miss home and think of you often.
Paul