A Man on a God Inspired Mission

"A Weary World Rejoices" Written for  https://ballygowanyouth.blogspot.com Well, guys there’s only two more sleeps to go, that’s right in just two more sleeps we will be celebrating the birth of Santa! I am of course joking. In two days time we will be celebrating and remembering the birth of Jesus in a cold, draughty stable over 2000 years ago. Whilst I joke about Christmas being a celebration about the birth of Santa I do wonder how many of us spend more time celebrating the present giving, the trashy tv and the fantastic food than we spend remembering the true reason for the day. For many of us this Christmas will be very different to what we have been used to, we may not be able to see the friends and family that we are used to seeing and Christmas parties are a thing of the past. In a year when everything is upside down and the world seems to be completely broken. I am reminded more than ever of the simple message of that first Christmas Day and the reason for God sendin

"A Weary World Rejoices" Written for  https://ballygowanyouth.blogspot.com Well guys, here we are, we've made it! We are now 2 days into the final month of 2020. In just 29 days it will be a brand new year, 2021 will begin and we will have a whole new 365-day story to write.   Today's Wednesday Wisdom is a little different to our previous weeks. Today we want to invite you to take some time to stop, yes stop what you are doing, pause, put your phone turn, turn off the music and just spend a few moments with God.   As I was preparing to write this short introduction I came across this quote,   “In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God, and feel His good presence; this will carry you evenly through your day’s business.”   The Christmas season is a time when we look forward to gathering with friend and family, exchanging gifts and eating ridiculous amounts of food., but most importantly it is the time w

"Light" Written for  https://ballygowanyouth.blogspot.com At this time of year Light is quite a big thing, or maybe more so the lack of it. The nights are getting darker sooner and the mornings are taking longer to appear. The darkness is slowly consuming the light and in some respects over powering it. We get up each day knowing that soon there will be more darkness in our daily lives than light.  However we know that in a few months time the light will make a come back and start to consume the darkness. Days will get longer and eventually there will be more light in the day than darkness. As seasons change this is our reality year in year out, yet the same can also be said for the spiritual side of our lives. With the one exception once we let the light in, it stays.  The Bible tells us in John 1:5 " The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." You see as Christians once we let Jesus into our lives, he takes up residency in our hearts,

"Everything's Changing" Written for  https://ballygowanyouth.blogspot.com Change is everywhere, it’s one of life’s certainties. Yet for many of us, change makes us feel uncomfortable, fills us with worry and what it will mean for us. For others change doesn’t bother them, they embrace it with both hands and jump straight in.   I personally find myself in the middle of these two attitudes. On one hand, I love new opportunities and exploring new ways of doing things. Yet on the other, I dislike the uncertainty and I spend hours worrying about how that may look for us. One of the biggest changes I love is to see the change God makes in the lives of each and every young person I get the pleasure of working with.   Over the last few weeks, we have experienced that late September heatwave that ushers us into the winter. Within hours it felt like we had gone from shorts and t-shirt weather to woolly hats and jumpers. I don’t know about you but this is one of those changes that c

I love walks on the beach to clear my head, pray and just generally reorganise the pieces of life in my head. One thing I always remember from being a child was my grandad looking out at night and saying ‘Red sky at night, shepherds delight’. Meaning the red sky was promising good weather for the next day. As I dandered pondering my many thoughts i looked to my right and saw this fantastic red sky, remembering that saying it reminded me that we don’t need to worry because God promises us good things will come for those who love him. After a few moments of feeling encouraged by that I looked to my left and saw this rainbow which reminded me that Gods promises are true.  Definitely the encouragement I needed. Reminding me I don’t need to worry about the next few weeks, months or years because God has called it, he’s in control and his promises are true and his plans good.

IT IS FINISHED! The words of John 19:28-30(NCV) say “ After this, Jesus knew that everything had been done. So that the Scripture would come true, he said, “I am thirsty.”There was a jar full of vinegar there, so the soldiers soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a branch of a hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ mouth. When Jesus tasted the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and died." I believe that statement made in this passage is one of the strongest statements a person can hear. Those three simple words towards the end of the verse carry so much power. They carry the power to change your life. It is Finished. The words from Isaiah 53:5 help us to unpack and understand why Jesus went to the cross. However for me the Message translation really drives it home, it puts it like this. “We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he broug