Helping Each Other #2

On Sunday I looked at ways in which we are slow or reluctant to be honest about our struggles in our Christian walk (Helping Each Other #1).

It was written from the point of view of the person struggling… and so today, I’d like to think more about how we can help others when they reach out to us – or perhaps, before they even do.

Listen
Kinda sounds obvious, but listening is crucial. It helps the person talk through what is going on, enabling them to express how they are feeling, and what’s going on in their life. Listening shows that we genuinely care and love them, that we want to understand and that we want to help.

It doesn’t mean just sitting there, empathetically nodding our heads… but as we listen, so identify with them, help them to see that they’re not alone, that they are not the only person in the world who is struggling in what ever area it might be. That’ll either be identifying with them from our own personal experience, battles, struggles and temptations – or perhaps (not limited to) back to something like Hebrews 4:15-16 – Jesus understands, he’s taken on flesh, he is not unable to sympathise!

Also, as we listen, we should be wanting to understand what is going on. This will no doubt mean asking questions - sensitively and appropriate to the situation – to ensure that we are not simply making assumptions about what is going on in their life… for example, you know a couple who have been dating/courting… and one of them comes to you and says, “last night we did something – it was a big mistake”… now, we could be hearing “we slept together”… or for others, the big mistake might simply be “we started kissing on the sofa”… actively listening, by asking thoughtful questions, albeit sensitively, will help ensure that we are hearing correctly, and so better able to respond in a meaningful way.

I wonder if we’re often slow to do this… I don’t know why we might be… but here’s a great couple of paragraphs from “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands” which encourages me to keep doing it – I recommend a read of it:

“Asking good questions is vital to helping people face who they really are and what they are really doing. As sinners we all tend to recast our own history in self-serving ways. We hide behind the difficulty and pressures of the situation or the failures of others. We look for external explanations, not internal ones. We are more impressed with our righteousness than we are horrified at our sin.

Because of this, we all need people who love us enough to ask, listen, and, having listened, to ask more. This is not being intrusive. This is helping blind people to embrace their need for Christ. It is helping people to see the foolish ways they have lived for their own glory, and the subtle ways they have exchanged worship and service of the Creator for worship and service of his creation.”

So, actively listening is not just to ensure we’re not hearing something different to what is being spoken, but also to help the person to work backwards, to help identify the root issue… that brings me to my second point.

Help them to think
As we actively listen to someone, so we want to help them think through what is going on, biblically. What is it that sparks an action, a reaction, a line of thinking etc etc.

The heart is the factory of idols, and we’re quick to believe the devils lies… so by actively listening, we’re wanting to help them think through 1) what idols are they worshipping; or 2) what lies are they believing.

We’re trying to help the person identify answers to such questions on such areas… to then be applying Gospel truths themselves, into their own life… to equip them to help themselves.

Point them in the right direction
Having thought a bit about the lies believed or the idols worshipped, so we can think about how the Gospel speaks into those situations, and help fill the Gospel armoury for when the battle comes again. Not that we’d expect change (or at least complete change) to happen overnight… but over time… and so we’d be looking to offer some accountability on what ever issue the person is struggling with – loving them enough to ask how it’s going, to be patient, still quick to listen, quick to understand, and lovingly continue to speak truth applied into the persons situation – but all the time, helping them, to help themselves.

Will we do this?

Helping Each Other #1

Been thinking a bit, recently, about the kind of things that can stop us being honest about how we’re doing in our Christian walk. This afternoon I want to think about the kind of issues that mean we keep quiet about the real struggles we’re experiencing!

In the first instance, there is of course one place to go for the deepest comfort, Hebrews 4:15-16: “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace in time of need” [ESV]

I don’t want to play down the large part this has in answering our question… and have blogged on that passage as a result of speaking on it recently at a CU (Drawing Near to a Sympathetic High Priest)… But is that the end of the matter? It should certainly be shaping our thinking and prayer life. Yes it’s where we should start and come back to time and time again… but there are most likely areas of worked out practice that must surely follow!

We don’t like to admit weakness
Our pride is a funny thing – it gets in the way of so much! Even our own felt needs at times! I know just how much of a struggle it is to admit to someone some area that I’m struggling in or failing in. The fear of intimacy, of being known for who I really am, is a big stumbling block in asking for help – both from God and from friends. It can be easy to generate an external “persona” – worn on the outside yet not representing what’s true on the inside. If we’re all lulling ourselves into the sense of feeling that we’re all doing fine, it’s easy being a Christian, we’re all loving the Gospel and winning the fight against the world, the flesh and the devil - then raising our hand and saying “it’s really hard!” is tough to do in this context. Maybe we feel our reputation simply won’t let us be honest about how hard we find it. These are all things that compound the problem, as people really have no idea how someone is truly feeling - so how will they ever be in a position to help? That leads me to my next point.

We don’t like to be served
I know this might raise a few eyebrows… “we’re not called to be served” I hear you cry! I know that, really I do… but maybe such a response is part of the problem too! In asking for people’s help, are we not then asking to be served? Whether it’s talking about the issue, praying together, or something more practical… so we are asking for help… we’re asking to be served. Again, our pride doesn’t want us to feel weak, to feel a reliance or dependence on others… and so we don’t ask for help when it’s the very thing that we need. Again, maybe a fear of intimacy is a bit of a root cause… as we’re open and honest with others, so it leaves us open and vulnerable… it leaves us open to being unintentionally, or intentionally, let down by the people we open up to – and that can hurt! Though even here, we’re reminded of Jesus’ closest friends i) falling asleep during the moment of great sorrow for Jesus ii) running away from him when he’s handed over to be killed. Yet, Jesus loved them, and treated them not as they treated him!!! We must follow such an example – see people as Jesus sees them, no matter of the kind of behaviour that might be reciprocated in our reaching out to others, or opening up to others! It can take time, effort and energy to build such friendships – especially in London where “local parish” doesn’t really exist. The hard thing also, is that London has a high turnover – so it can be hard to keep building such friendships when year-on-year such friends head off elsewhere (times marked with joy and sadness alike!). But a caveat, a danger about being served: we mustn’t let it take priority of that of our great high priest being the one we totally rely on, and who will never let us down. We must be careful that we don’t come to rely on anyone else but Him!

We don’t like to have an unfilled diary
Random point here, perhaps, but I’m aware of times, even in the past term, when I should have made time to meet up with people who have been struggling! Yet my diary is often so filled up in advance, that making time for such occasions that arise without warning, has been rather difficult, and so catching up has been put off by 1, 2 or 3 weeks. The ministry we’re involved with can be intensive, with talks to prepare, small groups to lead, and regular 1-2-1s… but perhaps we need to be less diary-intensive… give ourselves some free blocks where we can be available for friends in need. This is just a thought at the moment – but it’s one I’ll be chewing over more!

So, we give off false impressions, we don’t like to admit weakness, we don’t like to ask for help, and we’re all perhaps a bit too busy when someone does ask for help! It maybe starts to breed a culture where asking for help becomes the extra-ordinary, rather than the ordinary.

What will we do in response?

(see also the follow-up post here)

Drawing Near to a Sympathetic High Priest

Imperial CU this evening... speaking on Hebrews 4:14-16... some cut-down thoughts from it:

How do we feel when we’re struggling in the Christian life? How do we feel when the fight to keeping going as a Christian just seems too tough? When we’re tired and weary… when we just feel like giving up… when that temptation that we fight hard to resist… just overcomes us once again…

I’m guessing we probably feel weak, pathetic, guilty, frustrated… ashamed… And the question for us is – how does that then make us feel towards Jesus?

I guess we might think Jesus is angry at us… that he’s shouting down – “I can’t believe you just slipped up again”… If we feel weak – maybe we hear Jesus saying “you’re feeling like this again? Come on – pull yourself together!” If we feel ashamed, that we’ve let Jesus down in some way – we then picture Jesus shaking his head, tutt-ing in disappointment.

And how do we then respond, to Jesus?

Well – we keep him at a distance… pushing him away from us… either because we fear his anger, or because we fear his disappointment… And so Jesus becomes this distant figure… a figure just stuck in a stained-glass window somewhere… We make Jesus out to be a figure who didn’t experience these kinds of trials… we can think it must have just been easy for him to live the Christian life – he was perfect after all – God Himself… it must have been easy for him and that his expectation is that it should be easy for us…

"Since then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Heb 4:14-15

Jesus takes on flesh… that he might experience life in the flesh – that he might experience life just as you and I experience it… so that he would be a merciful, sympathetic high priest… able to help those who are being tempted… because he was tempted in just the same way as you and I are tempted. So what did living in the flesh mean for Jesus? Well, chapter 5, verse 7 tells us – look ahead to it… chapter 5, verse 7:

“in the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears…”

I’m sure we’re all aware of Jesus’ heart-wrenching prayers in the garden of Gethsemane as Jesus heads towards the cross… but this verse points not just to the garden, but to his entire life… the days of him being in the flesh… And it was hard… it hurt… so much so that it lead him to cry out to God… to cry before his God… with real tears, in real pain and anguish… as he battled to live for God…

Granted he hasn't experienced every detail... he never had to sit a fluid mechanics exam, and he's never actually sinned... but He has been truly one of us… he’s experienced real life, with real suffering, with real tears… and because of this he can sympathise with us…
When we’re exhausted in living for God
When we’re let down, hurt or betrayed by good friends
Bereavement, mockery
Parents who think we’re crazy
Persecution for our faith
The attacks of the devil we face each day

And Jesus says “I understand – I’ve been through it too… and I’m not ashamed to be associated with you… I stand alongside you in all the temptations you face…”

Jesus isn’t a distant figure who looks down at us and thinks to himself “come on guys… I can’t believe you’ve just fallen into that sin again”… or “come on – grit your teeth and pull your socks up”. No – we can cry out to Jesus in our weakness… we can cry out to him about how much of a struggle it is… we can cry out to him at how much of a battle it is… we can cry out to him about how much it hurts… we can cry out to him, and cry with him... And all the time Jesus is replying “I know….” “I know exactly how you feel”… “I’ve faced the same things… I know how tough it is… ”

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” Heb 4:16

The writer encourages us… in our weaknesses, not to hold Jesus at a distance…But rather, to draw near to him... to go to him. Knowing that the one who represents us before God acknowledges how difficult it is… and that he sympathises with our weaknesses.

And we should go to him… with confidence... Not fearing that he’ll be angry… not fearing his disappointment with us… but knowing that the one who represents us before God understands how hard it is… he sympathises with us...

We can draw near with confidence… because our high priest – our mediator - was like us, and so knows what it’s like for us… he sympathises in our weaknesses and replies “I know… I understand”

That’s what we really need when we’re struggling isn’t it?

To draw near to God… through our high priest… our mediator – who knows and understands…
To draw near to God – who offers mercy and grace in our time of need….
To draw near to him offers mercy – forgiveness for where we’ve failed…
To draw near to him who offers grace – strength to keep going, to keep battling as we live for Him each day…

"We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need"

Mark the Movie - a box office flop?

Just heading back from Kings CU... was speaking on Mark 15:40-16:8... here are some of my thoughts:

It's been a rollercoaster of emotion in the passages leading up to this... as Mark reaches the high point, the climax in his Gospel... and yet at the same time we see Jesus go through betrayal, his friends run away... he's arrested, handed over to a council acting as judge, jury and executioner... his people shout "crucify"... he beaten, spat on, nailed to a cross, takes God's judgement... dies!

As we reach the climax of what Mark has been persuading us of since verse 1 of chapter 1 - that Jesus is the Christ... yet at the same time, we reach the lowest point for Jesus, humanly speaking... as we see him give his life for a proud, arrogant, fickle, betraying bunch of followers...

And so we reach the end of Mark's Gospel... verse 8:

And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had
seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

and the screen fades to black... and the credits start to roll...

what a flop ending... or so we might think...

Mark uses two character types... Joseph who pledges absolute total allegiance to Jesus, no matter the cost to his reputation, social standing, career... alongside the women, who run away scared... not saying a word.

Mark is leaving us the question - which are we going to be like? Jesus has done enough - he's proved himself to be who he says he is... and we're left with the question - am I gonna be bold and confident like Joseph - no matter the cost; or am I gonna flee scared, keeping quiet like the women.

The good news is of course that we're all like the women much more than we are like Joseph... after all, Jesus came for the sick, not the healthy; he's told us we all have a heart defect that means we don't life for Jesus perfectly - that's why he had to come and offer his life as a ransom for many...

And so, the angel in the tomb says "go tell his disciples, and Peter"... and Peter... Peter who after just a little questioning from a servant girl says that he doesn't even know Jesus...

And so, right at the end of Mark we get the great reminder of who the Gospel is for.... weak failures... weak failures like Peter, like the women... weak failures like you and me! What a box office smash!

Gotta love the good news... the gospel... of Jesus the Christ!

Love your bride

Was just reading this... and thought this was a great reminder as we think about what is most important in our lives of ministry

God first. Family second. Church Third - Love your bride more than you
love Jesus' bride. You take care of yours and he will take care of
his.

Going the Distance

Just about to start Going the Distance by Peter Brain. Quote to kick off chapter 1:

"my life was given to me to spend for God. I have no intention of hoarding it or wasting it, but I intend to spend this one life wisely."
James A Berkeley

New Word Alive

Looking forward to the week ahead at New Word Alive in Wales - at an impossible to pronounce and spell town - staying with the in-laws!

It'll be my first such conference, so I'm looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere along with hearing some great teaching and music, and getting alongside some students along the way.

Hoping to be able to keep connected while I'm there, either by Twitter or on this blog - we'll see how it all goes!

Apparently there's a starbucks there but no Cafe Nero - tough times ahead ;-)

Excerpt from Bradford's examination

Lord chancellor: "Well, to leave this matter: how sayest thou now? Wilt thou return again and do as we have and thou shalt receive the queen's mercy and pardon?"

Bradford: "My lord, I desire your mercy with God's mercy; but your mercy with God's wrath, God keep me from: although I thank God, my conscience doth not accuse that I did speak anything why I should need to receive the queen's mercy or pardon. For all that I ever did or spake was both agreeable to God's laws and the laws of the realm at that time, and did make much to quietness. I have not deceived the people, nor taught any other doctrine than, by God's grace, I am not ready to confirm with my life."

an examination of John Bradford - martyred in Smithfield... Of his last moments he was described as "constantly abiding in the same truth of God which before he had confessed, earnestly exhorting the people to repent and to return to Christ, and sweetly comforting the godly young man who was burnt with him" (a 19year old called John Leaf).

Band of Brothers

Just finished Band of Brothers (first time watching it through having missed the TV series). To even contemplate what these men went through will give but a shadow of the reality... to see grown men still brought to tears as the look back to 50 years in the past, it is a humbling and thankful emotion that wells!

From this day to the ending of the world,But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother...

To them!!!

In all your ways, acknowledge Him

Just reading some helpful articles on Biblical Productivity... here's a helpful quote that was used, by Charles Bridges on Proverbs 3:5-7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight
your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from
evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7 ESV)

On this, Charles writes:

Let our confidence be uniform. In all thy ways acknowledge him (Proverbs
3:6). Take one step at a time, every step under divine warrant and direction.
Ever plan for yourself in simple dependence on God. It is nothing less than
self-idolatry to conceive that we can carry on even the ordinary matters of the
day without his counsel.

He loves to be consulted. Therefore take all thy difficulties to be
resolved by him. Be in the habit of going to him in the first place—before
self-will, self-pleasing, self-wisdom, human friends, convenience, expediency.
Before any of these have been consulted go to God at once. Consider no
circumstances too clear to need his direction.

In all thy ways, small as well as great; in all thy concerns, personal or
relative, temporal or eternal, let him be supreme.
A commentary on Proverbs, Banner of Truth, 1846/1968 pp. 24-25

Darwin's Dangerous Idea

Was just reading a brief article by Andrew Marr (read it here) written ahead of his BBC programme "Darwin's Dangerous Idea"

He writes:

"Darwinism, as I take it, is a creed of observation, fact, a deep modesty about conclusions and lifelong readiness to be proved wrong. I don't say it offers everything that religion can. But I do say that, in this respect, it is better. However we celebrate the old man, we mustn't let his work crust into creed or harden to dogma"

I couldn't help but recall this eye witness testimony of John [1 John 1:1-3, ESV]:

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ."

Which would you rather stake your life on?

St Pirans Day

Today is St Pirans Day... not that you would hear much about it... he's the patron saint of tin-miners and adopted more generally as Cornwall's patron saint! He is said to have brought Christianity to Cornwall!

(Wiki Entry)

Battle Galatia : Mission 'Gospel Preservation'

In Galatians 2:1-10 there are some rather interesting goings on… Paul seems to be in the middle of making sure that the Galatians know about his authentic, God revealed message… But then it seems that Paul wants to check that his message is actually the correct one… that he “hadn’t run in vain”… it seems odd to say this, particularly after he’s been so clear in chapter 1 to ensure the Galatians know just how separate he has been from the other apostles…

Has Paul now lost confidence in his message… does he now need to head to Jerusalem to check that his message is actually the correct one?

I think that Galatians 2:1-10 offers completely the opposite view to that… I think that these verses should give us great confidence in Paul’s message. But to do that, we need to think about placing the Galatian letter correctly in Paul’s itinerary.

Verse 2: “[Paul] went up [to Jerusalem] because of a revelation and set before them… the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.” So what sends Paul to Jerusalem?

A bit of cross referencing to Acts can help us answer this – let’s have a look at the highlights:
Acts 9:1-19 – Paul’s conversion
Acts 9:19 – Paul is in Damascus
Acts 9:26 – Paul’s first visit to Jerusalem, meets some of the apostles
Acts 9:30 – Paul heads to Caesarea and heads to Tarsus
Acts 11:25 – Barnabas heads to Tarsus to get Paul, to bring him back to Antioch
Acts 11:28 – revelation of a great famine
Acts 11:29 – disciples decide to send relief to brothers in Judea
Acts 11:30 – relief is sent to Judea by the hand of Paul and Barnabas (Paul’s 2nd visit to J’slm)
Acts 1312:25 – Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch from Jerusalem
Acts 13:2 – revelation of Paul and Barnabas being set apart
Acts 13:1-3: Paul heads from Crete to Antioch Pisidia
Acts 13:48-49 – Gentiles becoming Christian in the whole region
Acts 14:24-26 – Paul heads back to Antioch Syria
Acts 15:2-3 – Paul heads to Jerusalem to the council (Paul’s 3rd visit to J’slm)
Acts 15:22 – letter from the Jerusalem Council gets spread around
Acts 15:30-31 – letter received with massive encouragement

If we look through Galatians 1 – Paul wants to make clear that he has had no (or minimal) contact with the other apostles in Jerusalem. Gal 1:16-17, Paul stresses that after his conversion, he didn’t immediately consult, or go to Jerusalem, but went to Damascus (Acts9:19). Gal 1:18, then after 3 years, Paul visits Jerusalem, to see the apostles Cephas and James (Acts9:26). We then see Paul in Gal 1:21 head off to Syria and Cilcia (Acts9:30). Then in Gal 2:1 we learn that after 14 years, Paul goes up to Jerusalem again.

So, Paul’s visit to Jerusalem in Gal 2:1 seems to be his second visit (i.e. that of Acts 11:30). Afterall, Paul’s emphasis in chapter 1 so far has been to make it clear just how “untouched” his Gospel has been from other apostles so why would he miss out a whole visit to Jerusalem from his itinerary in Galatians… it would make his case so flimsy that it’s basically destroyed. More than this, if the letter to the Galatians is to show them exactly how circumcision/the law fits in now Jesus has come, then why wouldn’t he just refer to the letter from the Jerusalem Council in his letter to the Galatians… there is no mention of it whatsoever. I guess that some might argue that Gal 2:1-10 is indeed that Jerusalem Council meeting, in which case I might still argue that Paul doesn’t really rely on the Council letter to persuade the Galatians, which seems a bit odd… but also the confrontation between Paul and Peter wouldn’t then fit in with the Jerusalem letter being issued… but also, we’re back to the chapter 1 argument – why would Paul miss out an early visit to Jerusalem, if he’s trying to persuade the Galatians that his Gospel has been untouched by those in Jerusalem.

If we run with this thinking, then the revelation that takes Paul to Jerusalem must be that of Acts 11:28 – the great famine that’s coming… so now we see how the potentially disjointed verse 10 fits in with Paul’s argument. When Paul and those who are influential agree to go their “separate” ways, i.e. proclaiming to the Jews and proclaiming to the Gentiles, then it would fit well that the brothers in Jerusalem are eager for Paul to still remember the Judean church/brothers in need – Gentiles financially supporting Jews is a big deal… and shows the “oneness” of the new church – Jew and Gentile together as one church, therefore aiding and supporting one another! It’s a big deal to Paul (Gal 2:10)! The aid symbolises much (cf Romans 15:24-27 where Paul takes a massive detour in order to take aid to Jerusalem believers – aid given by Gentile believers).

This then leaves us with a question. What does Paul mean in verse 2:2 by “in order to make sure I was not running in vain or had not run in vain.”?

Well, we’ve seen in chapter 1 that Paul is far from lacking confidence in his message as he’s been well keen for the Galatians to know the revelation he received from God has been untouched! So I don’t think Paul is checking whether his message is true or not in terms of “having run in vain with the wrong message”.

Verse 3 is helpful: “But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek”… It’s another verse that just seems to stick out in 2:1-10.

So, Paul confident of his message, is concerned of the message being proclaimed in Jerusalem… with all this false teaching going around, he wanted to ensure that the false teachers were not undoing all of Paul’s work… i.e. people turning to a different Gospel, and so Paul having “run in vain” as a result of people shifting from the gospel that he proclaims. He affirms then, verse 3, that Titus didn’t need to be circumcised (a confirmation that the brothers in Jerusalem haven’t been taken in by the false teaching) and then, verse 9 – they offer the right hand of fellowship.

So, rather than us losing confidence in Paul’s message because of what he writes in 2:1-10, I hope instead that it gives us great confidence in Paul’s message… that it has been untouched by the apostles and yet after about 14 years, his message (revealed from God) matches up with the apostles message… Paul’s message is confirmed as authentic, the real deal!

So the result of all this helps us understand the context into which Paul is writing… there’s false teaching abounding… the Galatians seem to be taken in by it… (and we see later in 2:11-14 that after Paul’s visit to Jerusalem, even those that are “pillars” have now been taken in by it)! But Paul’s about to head off to the Jerusalem Council to discuss exactly how the law now fits in now Jesus has come… and he doesn’t know what the outcome of this council will be (it’s not a simple debate, Acts 15:2, and even Peter has been taken in Gal 2:11-12).

So in 1:1 - 2:10, before the Galatians receive the currently unknown result of the Jerusalem Council and the false teachers are still in their area, Paul wants the Galatians to know:

1. his gospel is the genuine article (revealed by God) and has remained untouched (matches up with the apostles message despite minimal contact between them over 14years)
2. he’ll stand by it, against false brothers, opposition and those who seem to be “pillars”

All things online...

Things have slowly been changing in my online "world". Firstly, I recently jumped across from IE to Firefox - my word why didn't I do that earlier. Then today I signed up on Twitter... not coz I'm sold on the idea but because I think it's better to give something a go before dissing it completely... we shall see... it may well help re-ignite something that's gone cold.... my blogging!

I haven't been posting much since changing job... and starting work for the church was the main reason why I started blogging in the first place... I'm not too sure why I haven't. Maybe because evening/weekend times I now try to keep much freer that previously - trying to draw some definite lines between "work" and "rest" and so I've switched off more so which perhaps has led to a lack of posting... that might be healthy thinking, or laziness... or some combination of the two - still trying to work out what a Mark 8:34 ministry looks like.

Anyhow... let's see how it goes!