For the last couple of weeks, I had the privilege and blessing to lead the home group in our house in a study of Ephesians. Ephesians 2:8 - 10 says: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." The last part of it I pondered on for a long time. As a child of God, I'm His handiwork created FOR good works... But, God prepared those good works I need to walk in long before! God has a blue print for the journey of my life... I don't have to work out the plan for my life, but only accept His plan for me. I just need to seek His will, and obey it. At the moment, I don't know what the future of my journey looks like (now for someone like me that loves to plan in advance, it can be rather difficult at times!) but I know the One who holds my future. The One that is described as Awesome, Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty... I can trust that He will lead me and guide me in the way I should go. Elizabeth Elliot said that the best preparation for the future is always the conscientious carrying out of what is given to us today. And in preparation for what that uncertain future holds, God planned good works for me today to carry out! And it includes exciting ministries and serving opportunities.
Creation Fest 2014 is happening and the ball is rolling in the planning of it. We've signed the first bands to play at CF'14, new policies, procedures are in place and new systems are in development, ready to be launched very soon. We also have a few church presentations booked (praying for more!) in the upcoming weeks. The Lord blessed the ministry with a new "resource", Sanmarie (which is also a very good friend of mine) that is busy with the design of the marketing material. Sanmarie is also from South Africa and will hopefully join the team in England very soon. And this is just the beginning... I'm excited to see what the Lord has planned for Creation Fest 2014!
As part of Creation Fest's year round ministry, we also plan smaller outreach events in partnership with local churches. At the moment we are working together with the churches in Callington planning to do a Creation Movement Roadshow the 27th of July 2014. The team and the churches are very excited. It would be great if you could please keep this in your prayers.
Since the beginning of the year, I got involved in some of the local ministries in my town. I volunteer at one of the local churches' kids club on Wednesdays, Adventurers. It is in a village about 7 miles outside Launceston. Its only been 5 weeks, but WOW, how quickly kids creep into your heart!!! I'm enjoying it so much! There are 28 kids part of the club, with between 23 - 25 on any particular day (they are between 5 and 11 years old). I've started teaching the lesson time, by the grace of God's. So far it's been a wonderful experience. When it felt like I had "writers block" and couldn't put 2 sentences of the lesson together during my preparation, the Lord answered my prayer and He is faithful - opening up His word to me, and making the lesson "flow"! I was reminded once again that we are able to do all things through Christ who strengthen us. I would appreciate your prayers... Please pray that the Lord would touch the heart of the kids with the Gospel and that they would accept Jesus as their Saviour.
I'm also helping at another local church's youth club - Namesake. Namesake is on Friday nights for youth between 11 and 16. At this stage, I volunteer every second week and there is between 25 and 30 kids on average per Friday night. Youth ministry is still very new to me but its been a good learning curve. With some relax time (playing pool, table tennis or just hanging out), followed by a "God slot" and an activity, I'm starting to get to know the youth. Please pray for creative ideas to engage with them, for the volunteers to have boldness to share with them the love of Jesus and for the openness of the youth for the Gospel.
What a wonderful privilege to know as a child of God, He has prepared good works for you too!
Please continue to keep me and the different ministries in your prayers:
1) Please continue to pray for Phil Pechonis, the Creation Fest Festival Director - he has completed his chemotherapy and the surgery is planned for late March
2) Pray for Creation Fest - for wisdom in the planning, the right speakers and bands and for more churches and ministries to partner with Creation Fest (thus more opportunities to take the gospel to the South West of England (and if possible, beyond))
3) Pray for Adventurer kids and Namesake youth
4) Pray that I will keep my eyes fix on Jesus, that I will rest in His will for my life and for the Holy Spirit to illuminate God's Word to me as I prepare for the different teachings
5) Pray for "more of Jesus and less of me" in my life
xxx
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