Albania

I'm writing this feeling absolutely exhausted but also elated having just arrived home from spending 10 days in Albania. The time I spent there was extremely exhausting and challenging but also incredibly special. I love Albania - I've been 3 times now and I would love to go again. It's an interesting place.

For those of you who don't know where Albania is (Zak thought it was in Africa on our first trip), Albania is just across the sea from Italy bordering Macedonia, Kosovo and Greece and so yes, it is very hot. Kerith have links with some of the churches in Albania and for the past 3 years we have helped run a youth camp in a town called Pogradec. 14 of us went, spending 5 days in Elbasan where we put on evangelistic concerts (worship, drama and the Gospel), helped run the church meeting on the Sunday and evangelised on local radio before spending the next 5 days at the youth camp.

God is on the move in Albania and I wanted to share some of the cool stuff which inspired me while I was out there. Firstly the growth. Albania hasn’t been open to the Christian message for very long but just in the past 3 years I’ve been there we’ve seen growth. The first time we went the youth camp had about 80 young people but this year there were 160 with more wanting to come but being unable to because of limited space! That’s pretty significant growth which has come about because the churches and church leaders in Albania are on fire for God. God is building up some clear leaders amongst the young people who, since the first time we met them, have been transformed by Jesus. It’s so exciting to be able to come in and see this, although what we see is only the product of persistent hard work by the churches in Albania.

This year as a team we really stepped up our game and strived to do more than we’d done before. Between leading worship, preaching, running workshops and teaching dramas there really isn’t much rest which, combined with about 6 or 7 hours sleep every night, could easily lead to some fallouts. I am so glad to say that we stayed united as a team and everyone stayed focussed on our mission. I was so impressed by our team stepping up in different ways (Tom now speaks fluent Albanian and managed to befriend the whole camp it seemed.....although Liam and Tom did make a 13 year old girl cry...) but in seriousness this year was the most challenging but by far the most rewarding and effective. From a personal point of view we taught some of the Albanians the ‘Everything’ Drama throughout the week which they performed on the Friday. It wasn’t without its struggles but seeing the response they received in the Friday meeting was incredible. The journey of Marina (the main girl in the drama), who accepted Jesus into her life that morning, was so clearly marked out by God – if you ask me in person I’ll explain just how specifically God marked out events for her at the camp.

For me personally I saw God do some big things. I was asked to baptise some of the young people from Tirana which was a huge privilege, particularly as it was the first time I’d ever baptised anyone. It had been raining the hour before but when we the time came for the baptisms (which were in a lake by the way!!!) the sun came out and it was pretty special. God gave me a Word of Knowledge for someone which I was weighing up whether or not I should give until God brought that person directly to me – so I kind of had to give it. I believe we saw a girl released from a demonic spirit in her life. After she’d been prayed for by Helen she said that her family had been cursed and, if you’d seen her behaviour whilst being prayed for then you’d see that there was something major going on. A highlight for me was also getting to preach Simon’s message of the ‘Peach and the Coconut’. This had an extra twist in that I quickly discovered whilst preaching that ‘peach’ in Albanian sounds like something quite rude (I won’t say what) and so was met with loud jeers from some Albanian boys. However God moved powerfully and we saw a big response for salvation at the end of that meeting.

We don’t know the exact number of people who responded to accept Jesus into their life throughout the mission trip but we worked out as a team on the way back that there were about 80 responses at the camp and the concerts. I hope this encourages you in your faith that God is working at large around the world and I’d ask that you keep Albania and the churches there in your prayers.

What are you standing on?

Yesterday at church Ben Davies spoke on the prayer of Abraham in Genesis 17. God reminds Abraham of His promise to him - that Abraham will become the Father of Nations and his wife will have a child. Instead of believing God at his word though, instead Abraham simply prays 'Oh Lord, If only Ishmael would live under your blessing'. Abraham settled and didn't take God at His word but rather asked God if his current situation was enough.

For the last couple of months I've been praying to God for one main thing: 

Faith. When it comes to faith, talking the talk is very easy but when it comes to believing God can completely heal someone right in front of your eyes or save your friend in that exact moment or bring revival to this town today then it's quite different. We need to be honest about our faith and where we are with it. God has brought me on a huge journey with faith but He's also made me more honest about it. I know there are times I doubt His power now and yet I don't doubt He's God. It's weird but it's true for all of us on occasion.

So back to Ben's talk - yesterday when I heard Ben speak I'd actually heard the message before. I'd been lucky enough to go with Ben and Liam to another church and hear him speak on Abraham there. At this church Ben had spoken with real passion. The talk was powerful and engaging. The only problem though was it didn't really challenge me. I listened to what Ben said but I didn't feel real impact in my life.

The funny thing about God though is that He won't settle for that. He wouldn't settle for with Abraham and He wouldn't settle for that with me. Ben brought the exact same message yesterday and yet God, in His infinite wisdom, chose now to answer my prayers. Ben asked one thing which I knew was straight from God:

'What is your mindset?' 

I felt God saying to me: 'Is your mindset based on your circumstances, the past, other people....or is it based on my Word?' 

Faith for Healing. Faith for Salvation. Faith for Revival. All these things came to mind as God asked me simply - 'What does my Word say?' 

It is so easy to base our faith and our prayers on the past and what's gone before. When we pray for healing knowing God hasn't done it in the past we base our prayers upon that rather than Luke 11 and Isaiah 53:5. When we pray for salvation we think of our past instead of standing upon John 10. When we pray for Revival we see the darkness of our town rather than the power of the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts, available to us now. What do we believe and what do we stand upon? God's Word or the past? This is a huge challenge not just to me but to all of us. God is asking us all:

What are you standing upon?

I pray that I will stand upon His word more and more each day.

Kingdom Come

I love to worship and I love to sing God’s praises. I love praising God on my own with just a CD or an acoustic guitar and I love belting out worship songs surrounded by others also crying out to God. I feel elevated when I sing. My perspective shifts from myself and my circumstances up to a very big God. I thank God for being able to sing worship to him.

I wanted to take this opportunity to plug a worship album I’ve been listening to recently which I’m so excited about. If you know me quite well you’ll probably know that I’m a big fan of Elevation Church and particular their worship music – they inspired me to try electro worship music and as a Church, Kerith have sung their songs ‘The Lord is my Rock’ and ‘The Broken and the Tired’. The album I want to plug is their most recent album - ‘Kingdom Come’. In my opinion it’s incredible!

It’s not like it’s the best musically; it’s very good and does sound nice but in terms of creativity and experimentation they’ve kept it quite straightforward and Hillsong United’s latest album ‘Aftermath’ is much more progressive.  What’s so good about Elevation’s album though is that the words so clearly come from a place and heart of worship. What’s even more apparent is that the songs clearly come out of a church which is living out its call to be the Hope of the World.  Many songs we sing do declare truth. They are good to sing and are easy to worship to. However, I believe some songs do have God’s anointing upon them and come from God himself – I believe this album is so powerful because, as a church, Elevation are walking in God’s will and so their worship is coming from God’s heart for them. Below are some of the lines which really spoke to me:

‘You made the sun stand still, the oceans part. You’re powerful, it’s who you are!’

‘You promised our city would be shaken with your love.’

‘Raise your hopeful voices, make a joyful noise and sing unto the King of Glory’

‘This is the day. This is the time. When all you spoke has come alive. We’ve seen you move. We’ve seen your fire. We’ve seen it all for You are on our side.

‘Let hope swell in our lives so we can be the church that lives out your heart’

‘If I lose it all, You’re enough. If I gain the world, You’re enough. My joy is complete, Jesus you are enough for me’.

The focus on joy and hope is so inspiring. The Joy of the Lord is our Strength and sets us apart so we can be the Hope to this world. This album excites and challenges me in my worship and as I look to write songs to glorify God – am I writing just a song or am I writing something powerful from God’s own heart.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/kingdom-come/id385991352

Maybe it was just God speaking to me but I’d encourage you to listen to album and I hope it blesses you as it did me.

Purpose and Promise

It is very easy in life just to get on with things. 

To wander through our days never really thinking about what we're doing.

We can find ourselves stuck in routine and, because of that, just living routinely. Some things excite us - holidays, a new car, clothes, even a new relationship... but equally there are lots of things we do which bore us but which have to be done - brushing your teeth, washing the car, maybe even going to school or work. I've been guilty many times of simply getting up, doing the day and then going to sleep before I've even really thought about it.

There's a brilliant quote by Oscar Wilde which says this:

"To live is the rarest thing in the World. Most people exist, that is all."

What is it that changes existence into actual living then? What is it that makes us more than just survivors? What is it that gives us reason?

Purpose.

It is purpose which affects everything you do. Purpose which shapes and defines our days. Purpose which changes our lives. All of our actions, the mundane and the exciting, come from our purpose. For example: going to the gym 3 times a week isn't your purpose. It comes out of your purpose of getting fit.

And so I want to ask the question: What is your purpose?

Jesus showed us our greatest purpose in the Book of Matthew, Chapter 22:36-40 when He said this: Love God. Love People. He was clear, to the point and precise yet those 4 words are incredibly challenging.

Love God? Even when everything's going wrong? Even when it hurts? Even though it means I might have to give up other things? 

Love people? Even when they gossip about me? Even when I can't stand them, can't forgive them? Even my enemies? Even when I can't be bothered?

If we look at this from an Earthly point of view it's easy for our immediate reaction to be 'Why should I?' but combined with Purpose comes another word: Promise.

God's promises for us are pretty crazy (in an unbelievably good way):

1) Eternity and Forgiveness- For God so loved the World that He gave His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, so that if you believe in Him you won't die but instead you'll have eternal life in Heaven. Jesus came as God to this world but humbled himself to be a man. He died on the cross to take away my shame and sin so that I could spend an eternity in perfection with a perfect God. He forgives all my mistakes and doesn't count them against me. He offers you the same.

2) God's Spirit with us now - 'But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative, that is, the Holy Spirit, he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.' God's gift of His Spirit fills us with God's love, God's hope, God's patience, His kindness, His faith and contentment and joy which can not be found anywhere else on this Earth. We are also filled with His power to heal the sick and see miracles!

3) Plan's - 'For I know the Plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to bring you to harm'. God has big plans for you. Huge plans for your future. Great plans to make you succeed. 

The thing about our God is that He is a close Father rather than a distant Dictator. So not only does He give us a purpose to Love Him and so to Love the people He loves too, but He cares for us individually. He knows the number of hairs on our head and He knows our life plan before we're even born. God cares enough to give us an Individual Purpose. And why does He do this? Trust us with an individual purpose? Give us a dream and a vision for our lives? Because He believes in our promise and our potential. He can see what our lives can look like and He wants us to get there. 

I believe God is beginning to show me my individual purpose and I pray that He would reveal yours for you too if you're not sure at the moment. One thing I can say though is that as we grow in fulfilling our purpose of Loving God and Loving People, God reveals more of His individual purpose for our lives. Keep pressing into God and living out that purpose and He will take care of the rest.