We need to stick together to make a difference

Hey everyone! As you probably know I support Reading! Anyway we went to watch them at the weekend as a present for my birthday (which is tomororw) against Tottenham (Spurs). It was a fantastic match, and the best live match I've been at. Spurs were on 10 games unbeaten before the match, and we'd lost 5 in a row! Spurs are one of the best teams in Europe too, so to see the players for them was great. For example Robinson (England keeper), King (England defender), Dawson (England defender), Lennon (England midfield player), Defoe (England striker)... the list just goes on really.

We went 1-0 down to a penalty, which Robbie Keane scored, but after that we played great, and won 3-1. The best goals for Reading were Shorey's (hit from outside box), and Doyle's (a quality finish!). It was a record attendance for Reading too, at 24,110, and was shown on tv, so all in all it was a pretty good day.

I've had a good week really, I passed my driving test last week, yay! I'm now insured on my mum's picasso! I also spent time with my youth group, we went on a prayer walk on Saturday, around our town praying for different streets, which was fun. Our nation is so much need of a revival, and it's down to our generation to do something about this. And by continually praying for your town, and area, and country it's one way of helping to make a difference. We need to do this together though. Christians, like snowflakes, are frail, but when they stick together they can stop traffic (quote from Vance Havner). It's so true too, as together we can make a HUGE difference! Think about that! This also links in with the football yesterday as Reading could so easily have lost, but they played like a team, whereas the better team Spurs didn't look out for each other as much, and their team work wasn't as good. I know it's not a great example, but one individual could not win it for Reading, the whole team had to win it. And I think it's like Christianity, in that one person can make a tiny difference, but put that one person in a team, and the impact they can make can be dramatic. Us Christians need to stick together!
God bless

Enjoy some of the pictures from the match yesterday!:

Doyle celebrating with fans after scoring
Sidwell scores past England's number 1 keep Robinson!
Kingsley our mascot seems pretty happy! Shorey after scoring an amazing 25 yard goal to make the game 1-1

Life from God's eyes

Just something to think about. How do you see your life? What are you living for?

After thinking about that, try to see life from God's view. As the way you view your life is very important as it shapes who you are. And how you define life determines your destiny.

I came across these 3 ways to view life, that do help us to live life for God's glory.

Firstly life on earth is a test. It is the warm up for eternity. We don't know the tests God gives us, but the most important test is how we act when we can't feel God's presence in life. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says ' God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.' How great is that!

The second view is tat life on earth is a trust. As remember God gave us our time on earth and our energy, intelligence, opportunites, relationships, and resources as gifts with he has entrusted into our care! Therefore we are stewards of God. Therefore we never really own anything during our time on earth, it belongs to God! In Luke 16:10 it says 'Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones'. So remember worldly wealth is nothing compared to the true riches we will be trusted with in heaven.'

Lastly life on earth is a temporary assignment. Our time on earth is extremely brief compared to the time we will spend in eternity. The earth is not our permanent home, or our final destination, it is like living in a foreign country. The verse from 2 Corninthians 4:18 says ' So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal'!

I got these from a chapter in the book a Purpose driven life. I wrote them in much cut down versions, but it is a great book and I recommend it! Just looking at these views, if we were in God's position we we be happy with how we were living our lives. It made me think a lot, and it is does the same for you. As we are not living for earthly praises or riches, we are living for heavenly gifts and eternal praises from our Father and creator!

Delirious? and Cornwall!

Hey! I'm sorry for no responses on here for ages. I was thinking about stopping blogging, but I've decided to carry on, as especially when I go abroad it will be a good way to keep in contact with people.

I have done a lot recently. The picutures below are from the Delirious? concert we went to in Newport just over a week ago. It was a great night! Tim Hughes sang first, and as you can see we were pretty close. The funniest thing was when we got there, the security people at the front asked us who was playing, they had no idea what was going on. So us and the people near us said to them it was delirious? a big Christian band. They just looked at us as if we were crazy, and then asked if they were any good. And we said yes! They were there to stop any problems, and of course nothing bad would happen here, but they weren't to know. When people started to worship though their expressions were even funnier, with people having their arms in the air in praise, and their eyes shut in prayer. Lol :) I will never forgot their look when we were singing Our God is an Awesome God, and then Our God Reigns.... I think that will stick with me for ages. I think they were completely taken aback by how powerful the evening was, and what a great witness Tim and delirious? were.

We were in Cornwall last week, which was great. The weather was bad on some days, but great on others. We stayed in our grandpa's house which is part of a housing estate and they have a tennis court between them, so guess what we played every day?! We also went to a local church there, and got to know the youth really well. We acted really stupidly, so it was funny when they really wanted to do things with us. We ended up going bowling with them, which was fun, Tom almost broke the whole lane?!?! Anyway we look forward to going there again hopefully in the next hols. Our grandpa was also down there, it was a great chance to see him, as we don't get to see him much. The hols were great.

I also got this great line from a meeting down there...Love is spelt TIME, and how powerful is that!

I have been worrying about things recently too, as I have a lot going on in the next few months. I have a driving test next week, which I'm not sure if I'm ready for. A university interview next month, and then spending 5 months abroad. However it hit me, why worry, as God has a purpose for me, and if it involves me passing my test next week then I will, if it doesn't then it is part of his plan for me. Above all, God reigns.

I will try to write more in the next few days, and get the blog going again.
In the mean time, God bless you guys!





I added this picture as it was us down in Cornwall in the summer and I loved the time then! This is my Aunt and baby cousin Katherine, who is sooo cute!! I love looking after her!

God be my strength, be my guidance

God you are AMAZING!!!!
I can't believe you died for me, and for my sins. I am so grateful for everything Lord, and for you giving me the opportunties you have. I have come to realise how even hard times are great chances to grow in you. I am happy with everything in my life as I know you are always with me. God please help me to keep a smile on my face as I do things, even if they are hard, and help me Lord to choose the right choice in situations where I can show your glory. I pray you cleanse me Lord and keep me clean, and help me to keep my thoughts always on you and to praise you in all that I do. Please pray for me that would be so cool.

I'd like to keep the North Korean's in my prayers too, as their situation is so hard in the dictatorship. I didn't realise how bad it was until they tetsted their nuclear bomb today. On tv they said that the people have no idea what is going on in the outside world at all. There is only one tv channel controlled by the government and one radio station with all others blocked out. The peopl are so disillusioned by the government that they even think they are in better postions than most people in the world. How dreadful is that? God's people need our help, as how are they ever going to hear about our saviour Jesus. They are crying for us, and are desperate for the Word. Please pray for them too.

'For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son Jesus Christ to save us all' and 'He created us all in his image'

The painter, and the creator!

I came across this quote and really liked it so I'll share it:

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling 'darkness' on the wall of his cell..."

This was by C.S.Lewis, and it's so amazing isn't it. How great is God's glory, no one can lower it!!!

Anyway my week has been pretty good. I now have a job, with Howard!! Lol. We're working at my house doing painting and decorating, for my Father. I'm quite tired now, but it was fun. We got a lot of paint over us, and Howard was lucky not to get a roller on his head, it missed him by less than a metre! Also he had a pretty cool white streak in his hair yesterday ;-) But we're getting a lot done, today I was filling in walls, which was a good experience!

Anyway have a good weekend and week!
God bless you all!

Updating things

Hey everyone!

Sorry there's been nothing for ages. I know I am lazy! I just wanted to do a quick update on what is happening.

As some of you may know I'm having a gap year and I'm not going to Uni like I was originally going to. I'm now reapplying for next year through my school again, which is quite fun, well not really it's weird not being at school anymore. But they have been helpful.

In the meantime I'm doing tennis coaching voluntarily at Newport with kids with slight disablilities. It's really rewarding, and I really like the kids. I'm also learning German, well because I'm going to Germany now!! Well it's not definite as I haven't been accepted but I hope I will be. It's with a missions school in the Black Forest, so that's in the south west, if you're interested. Here they do outreach work with youth both in Germany and in Poland, mainly to people who haven't the gospel before. It sounds reallyt cool, and is an international organisation so there'll be people from all over the world there, and English will be the main langauge spoken. I still want to learn German though, as I think it will be useful. Also I will then hopefully do some travelling after the course and meet up with friends around Europe which will be cool!

It would be cool to catch up, I will write more now!!
Luke

Btw the pics are where I'd go in Germany for the missions school, and the map is a bit obvious!

Soul Survivor 06

Hey there!
I know I said I'd do this a while ago, but have been busy, but finally I had some time to write about SS. It was a really cool week, and was as good as my expectations were if not better. There were over 10,500 people there, so a lot, and we all had two meetings a day in this massive outside tent called the big top, it's the biggest in Europe. Here Tim Hughes and other really big worship leaders would lead the music for about 45 minutes before a talk from Mike (SS leader) or someone else including guest speakers like Brother Andrew!! He was amazing, and his talks were so inspiring for everyone, and he was defintely my highlight of the week.

We camped again, which is a bit crazy over LA, and the weather was okay except for some massive thunderstorms at night..... Also Simeon from camp was really close to where we camped so we spent sometime with him and his youth group which was cool. In the evenings there was so much to do. You could go to a gig, which on some nights were awesome. My favourite band was OnehundredHours who were amazing!!!! Other options included sports, cafes with live bands, Mr Boogies (you should ask Jonathon about that ;-) ) and generally just things to enjoy doing. It was mainly youth there, so everyone was around our age so that was really cool, although we didn't go as a youth group when most people did so it was hard to meet new people. I really can't wait to go again next year. Anyway if you want to ask any questions about it please do, I'd love to talk about it. And if you didn't go this year you should really consider it for next year. Hopefully the pictures below will give you some more ideas about what it is like!!
Be blessed
Luke