"Always be prepared"
11/7/18
Things have been reeeeeeaaaaaallllllly busy since the last blog.
Maths and reading classes have rounded up for the year, school graduations have been taking place and summer is beginning for a lot of people. I was invited to spent some time with the adult learners and teachers for their end of year social. The adults showed their appreciation to teachers for their hard work with heart-warming speeches. I only taught for a month, with some students only attending classes for a week, but they were so appreciative and thankful. The little you give can really go a long way. Each Saturday morning in June, a group of five young people made their way to church, for 8am, to get support with the topics they were struggling with in Maths. They could have had that cheeky little lie-in to start off their weekend, but they sacrificed it each week and walked away more confident than the last. Just seeing their eyes light up, that moment where everything clicked and made sense for them – just amazing. I'll never forget them.
I’ve had the privilege of preaching in three different churches so far, in Kingston and in Linstead, but the preparation for them has not been easy! There was one instance where it was really short notice, and I struggled with writing. I began to over think and became extremely nervous. Miraculously, God came through, and He did each and every time. I had to really learn to wait on him and pray into what he wanted me to say, and he didn’t leave me alone, which I am so grateful for. He came straight to the rescue, like seeing a bright light at the end of a dark tunnel. He didn’t have to do it, but he did!
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15)
Sometimes, we may have plans or expectations, but things can change. That's just life. Paul, in his travels, had plans to travel to particular places to share the gospel, but things did not always go according to plan. He had to adapt for the sake of the gospel, and God always carried him through. Things may unexpectedly pop up, but we have a decision to make in those situations - will we run away from it or will we go through with it? I am not usually the biggest fan of last minute plans or surprises if they affect my plans, especially my precious eight hours of sleep. It can throw me off a bit. But sometimes those things have to be compromised. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow, but in ALL things, we have an anchor, someone who can help us to stand firm and someone who walks with us in difficult situations.
We all should be prepared to share and talk about the love of Jesus with others. We should always be prepared to talk about what God has done for us. There are people out there in the world that are longing for family and a sense of belonging, who are lonely with no-one to call, and broken with no hope of being fixed. These people are in our workplaces, our schools, our universities, our communities, and even our churches. Our lives are not just for us to keep to ourselves, but rather to share. Some of us have been through things that we thought we would never get through, and we are still standing. People deserve to know your story and they deserve to know about the one who helped you. All this can be found in Jesus.
The next few weeks are packed with activities; Vacation Bible School starts this week and Junior Camp the next. Please keep me in your prayers, along with each child that will come along and for all the leaders, that everything will run smoothly and people will come to know Christ.
Until next time... peace and blessings J