Alpha & Hope 08

Well Alpha Launch went really well, we had about 10 guests and there are a few guests that are coming to the course but could not come to the launch so we should hopefully have a good turn out. All that promoting may have paid off. On the night I didn't get home from work til 5.40 and I was meant to be down the church for 6 to set up and I still had to prep the canapes for the evening. Got home though and my lovely boyfriend had done all the canape prep for me and also made my dinner. How nice is that! so I had chance to recollect myself and get down to church and set up.

I have been put forward to lead one of the discussion groups at our Alpha course which is great. I have been a helper for the last 4 or so years and I think its time that I have the opportunity to develope a bit more in this area. There was some opinions given that it might not be a good idea that I lead a group due to my living arrangements with my boyfriend (we are not married and live together). I do get annoyed when people in church condemn me for this. I even left church a couple of years back cause of rubbish like this. I do agree that not all aspects of the way I live my life our typically 'christian' but I only became a christian 4 years ago and not all areas of my life at will immediately fit in with the stereo typical christian life ( I'm not sure I want to be a typical christian) and I had already met my boyfriend and already had sex with him. He is not a christian and it is very difficult to turn around and say: oh by the way we cant have sex now. But then the christian response usually comes back: well if he really loved you he would except that. I'm sorry but that is absolute crap!
Now I'm not saying my living situation is ideal, but I'm not gonna force my boyfriend to get married to me just for the sake of people at church, he will ask me when he's ready. I'm not condoning our situation and I'm not gonna go announcing it to the guests at Alpha. But in the same respect I'm not going to keep it a secret from them because I'm not ashamed of it and I'm still in 2 mines of my views on this. We do plan to get married but when WE'RE ready.
I was reading Brian's Heasleys blog again as I do most days and he has recently started do pod casts which I enjoy listening to. This weeks was quite relevant to this topic about how churches nowadays would not probably have Peter, Moses and David on their leaders ship team because they had done wrong things (adultery, murder etc) yet these are the exact people God used.
Check out Brian's Podcast
Also In 1Corinthians chpt 6 V9-11 when it talks about sex before marriage it does also talk about alot of other things like greed, thieves, adultery as well and I think that the church would not turn around to a 30stone person and say: you cant lead Alpha cos your obviously greedy, because you cant be fattiest but its ok to push your opinion of sex before marriage on people.
Had this conversation with someone before and its quite a valid point.

On a much more positive note, Hope 08 had its launch at the cathedral a few weeks ago where I live and we are looking to have a Christmas Festival to Launch it to the community. I really want to get involved in this and go out in to the community more with our church. Brian's podcast touches on this as well about going out and getting your 'hands dirty'. I like the idea of visual aid of getting your hands dirty in the dirt, think this could work quite well at our church so I might nick that idea!

Lots to mention

I have not blogged for a short while now so I have a few things to mention.

My Body Shop Party was on this weekend just gone and I thought it might be a poor turn out as the last one was. But 19 people turned up! which was amazing, but also quite cramped as my apartment is only small so I have people sitting all over the floor as I ran out of seats. Fun time had by all though, Lots of sales made, which means lots of free shopping for me and goods news for my mum. Body shop are dead good because they:
1. don't test on animals
2. All natural ingredient
3. Community Trade (help people in 3rd world countries by giving them fair paid jobs to produce products)
4. they support alot of charities like 'children on the edge'

My neighbour came as well and she stayed after the others left and got to know her which was nice. Think we might get together again sometime.

Had our Alpha Meeting and I have been selected as a Leader for one of the Teams which I'm quite excited about. This is the first year I will be leading so hopefully I do a good Job of it. Our Alpha Launch is this Wednesday so I am currently trying to put together the last pieces of planning for that. We currently know of 30 potential guests so that is a great turn out! (that's if they all come)

This weekend I am having a nice romantic night out with my Boyf, he brought me tickets for the theatre for my birthday back in June so we are going there on Friday night and he has booked a hotel for the night.

To top the weekend off though my work have paid for us all to go to DraytonManor on Saturday so I have a jam packed weekend ahead.

Did this weird diet last week, your meant to do it for 2wks but I managed 4 days. I lost 10lb cos its just eggs, grapefruit, salads, meats etc but it seems to be low in carbs and high in protein. Anyway I was really tired by the 4th day and I thought the diet had a lot to do with it so I came off it. I have just been eating healthily since then so hopefully I will continue to loose a bit of weight. I don't want to be stick thin though (don't think I ever could be either though as I like my food too much)
So going the gym tonight with the intention to join, That's how I managed to loose the 2.5stone last time I dieted properly. So I think I'm gonna have to endure it again. Need to find the same motivation I had back then to keep going and not give up.

Open Door

The open door situation is developing againg. The door is still open but not in the way I thought, not really sure what God has planned still in this situation but just keep praying for 'his will to be done' (as suggested by a friend) so just waiting, but alot of positive words coming to me through pray, friends, bible passages. so again I will continue to watch this space.

Body Shop Party

So my mum has blagged me to have a body shop party for her on Fri 21st Sept so anyone that knows me is welcome to come along and bring a friend. Good excuse if you ask me to have the girls round, be induldged and enjoy a glass or two of wine.

The new winter and Christmas catalogues have been launched so loads of new products and smells to try and lots of christmas gift ideas. If you cant make it but would like to place an order let me know and I will get a catalogue to you to have a look at.

Nice Weekend

Well I went out on Friday night to celebrate my friends birthday, we all dressed up as gangsters for the night as this was the theme she picked for the night. It was a good night had by all, think my friend was a bit worse for where but good night!

Then on Saturday went to a body shop function with my mum, which was good cos I get a free goodies bag full of loads of products worth £50. I also obviously got to spend the day with my mum so that was nice. At this event they had a really mad guy and his band who played the African drums. He was trying to demonstrate the importance of putting in 100% effort to get good results for your business. This got me thinking regarding the Alpha Course. If we put in 100% effort regarding inviting people and making people aware of the course then we will get good results in the number of people attending.

Therefore On Sunday I tried to take the drumming concept into church. Got the congregation slapping the legs, faster and slower to reflect the effort that could be put into telling people about alpha and inviting people. Faster speed to represent alot of effort, low speed for low effort. I guess you had to be there to understand what the point was but I think people in church got it so we'll see. One of my friends at church has already got 7 confirmed guests so shes really putting in the effort.

God Talking

I constantly pray that I will become closer to God and really experience his presence and his changes in my Life. As I look at Christians around me I feel like I have been left behind abit or that maybe I don't put enough effort in to my relationship with God as I don't always feel close to God and wonder why everyone else is having these great GOD experiences.

Since coming back from Ibiza though I just cant get enough of him and the evidence that he appears to be there listening to my every pray is great.

Again I was reading Sacred Space (I love this site now, really make an effort everyday to read it) and today it talked about Luke 5 1-11 where Simon drops everything and follows Jesus. Sacred space suggest to listen to the lord and hear what he is telling you.

I truly think that God is saying to me 'trust me (in the situation I mentioned in last blog) and just drop everything'.

I do find it really difficult to trust in the Lord, not because I doubt him but when I cant make logical sense of how something is going to pans out, or physical evidence of everything being ok then I really struggle. I always pray for God to deal with a situation and then I have to pray for God to give me the ability to trust that he will deal with the situation even if I don't know how he will do that. Quite silly really but again I try and reassure myself by coming back to Proverbs 3 (especially V5)

Also I have stopped smoking in the day now as well. I still smoke but the fags are now just a few a night time and then just when I go out.

Open door phase 2

Well I talked about the open door answered prayer etc in a previous blog, well I had prayed and my friend had had this prophetic vision but there was no evidence of any change in the situation.
Well the change came yesterday, Its good news but I cant really talk about it on the blog at the mo so I will keep you updated when I am in a position to tell you more. Very exciting though, God really working in this situation, lots of answered pray. I pray that he keeps the door open. We'll see!!!

another message

Well did the alpha promo at church on Sunday, got everyone to stand up and basically said they could only sit down if they knew no non-christian friends or family. As you would expect no one sat down so I hi-lighted the fact that each and everyone of them had at least 1 person they could invite to Alpha. I suggested that I knew not everyone we invite will attend the course but even if 1/8Th of the people asked came then we would still have a very successful course.

We handed out the alpha business cards for them to give to the people they invite. Get the feeling from God that this years Alpha is gonna be BIG!



I prayed about me standing at the front, asking God to give me the right words and he answered my pray as I feel it was a success. Later I thanked him for blessing me with the job of telling everyone about Alpha. Today I have gone on to Sacred Space pray for today and it asks you to read the passage and then reflect on what God is saying to you. It talked about being anointed by God to Preach good news (Luke 4 v18) and that's exactly what he has done, anointed me to talk about Alpha. What a blessing!!