Saturday 17th September

Week I

Wow wow wow. So we’re reaching the end of a long summer. One filled with love and joy. At times it’s been hard, waiting to really get stuck in, but wanting to hold onto the community life that blessed me at Bethel. God has led me to people of faith and opened beautiful doors of community. Finally though, after all the waiting, I’m in Nottingham. It feels entirely surreal, and so I life each day by faith, asking God what’s next and what the vision is for that day. Almost one week in it’s already proved to be full of blessings.

Tuesday:

Father and I set off from Maidenhead around 1pm and made it to my new home not long after 3pm. My new parents, Brillo and Laura were very welcoming. After being introduced to Ben and Ester, my new siblings we all joined efforts and unpacked the car in super speed time. I have moved into Josh’s, their eldest son’s, old room.

Ester kindly showed my father and I round the area showing us the church where I’m going to be based for the foreseeable future and some of the necessary shopping sights of the area. After which my father set off home again and I began to unpack.

After dinner Brillo went off to a PCC meeting leaving Laura and I to begin our musical adventure together. Jazz and folk were the genres of flavour and after welcoming the rest of the family home with a night cap we all headed for bed.

Wednesday:

Wednesday began early as I made it late to the Office Morning Prayer Meeting. It was a fun way to be thrown into the middle of meeting people as we prayed for the work of the local and networked churches. The folks I met are great, their hearts are so warm: Sam, a retired member of the church, an active handiman keeping the building in order and Cheryl, the office boss, an active member of the congregation and a dab had on the administration front.

From there the day got gently busy, after the prayer meeting Caroline and I popped round to the vicarage to chat with Dave. Then to the Church Office to get some paper work filled in, then a brief walk about the parish to grab a bite of lunch. It was fun walking the streets and getting a feel for the area. I’m looking forward to building relationships with the various shop owners and seeing prosperity come to the Precinct. Pray for a Caribbean couple and crazy abundance in their sandwich shop.

Lunch was spent back at the vicarage, playing with Dave and Caroline’s 18month old son Eli and finding out more of different folks stories that came to establish the vicarage community. I’m looking forward to getting to know all the folks more, learning their stories and discovering their dreams. The vicarage is currently occupied by two families, Dave (vicar) and Caroline and their two sons, Daniel and Elias, and Tom and Steph and their children, Eve and Toby. Amongst them their cultivating a wonderful context from which the strong community spirit in the church flows.

Next door live Ste and Sophie. Sophie is the new youth pioneer, establishing the youth work from conception. Ste is about to start a masters in the same field I’ll be starting a PhD, so it seems the Lord has set us up for something significant.

In the afternoon I ventured into town exploring various sites and getting a feel for the area – The station first, then Post Office and finally some Ice Cream in the City Square. The whole place seemed quite glum, though as you engaged with folks there was a real innocent joy at helping a stranger.

From the centre I followed my nose home via the suspension bridge cycle path and a back alley where a blown down fence provided the perfect cut through to home. Back in West Bridgeford it was time to get acquainted with another part of town so I walked down the town centre and through the local park. The place was full of life with schools just out on a sunny autumn afternoon. Children were busy playing in the park and mums shopping.

As I arrived home Ste and Sophie were picking up tents for the night and so I decided to commit to coming and camping with the other church leaders for the night. There was a mysterious conference happening past Cambridge on Thursday so after dinner we packed up the car and set off south. The journey provided a wonderful opportunity to get to each share our stories and get a feel for the dreams and plans of the couple. I look forward to spending many more times with them and getting to know them all the more. All three of us have a big heart for the presence so have decided to meet regularly and simply pursue God together. Looks like good times ahead. Hallelujah.

Thursday:

The conference turned out to be based in a little village called Moggerhanger and had all sorts of history with Wilberforce and the abolition movement. Having received some prophecies about carrying a similar flame of justice this excited me. Also the whole message of the day seemed to tie into my two life visions, to father nations and be a global problem solver.

The day was split into three sections, three speakers from three generations each talking about the  Millennial generation (20and30’s) and the future of the church. It was an insightful time and the core themes centred around the need for fathers coupled with believers walking out the kingdom, living life with Jesus as King. The middle generation speaker, Wolfgang, also spoke about some fresh revelation that is bubbling away in the Sustainable energy field which grabbed my attention, so I connected with him and look forward to discovering more of what the Lord has for the future of Kingdom Science.

Before all the speakers had come there was a time of waiting on the Lord and laying down our agenda’s. It was a really powerful time, the challenge to worship God with Isaac and a knife, rather than simply singing songs, come and lay down that which appears to be the promise from God. Commit it back to Him and watch Him provide the ram. He is faithful. There was a real call to lay down reputation as well. It was a good time.

There was also discussion around the shaking that’s occurring in the nations and there was an overwhelming affirming that the shaking should continue until there is no foundation but Christ. But I would like to encourage us all instead to pray for mercy. Let’s pray that God would bring about the same outcome, People turning to Christ, without having to lose everything in their life to do so. I want to be a blessing to my nation, to usher in the Kingdom of a good God. Therefore let’s trust the judgement with God and pray for merciful salvation to spring up all around.

Never the less it was great to be part of a group that is searching for answers. One of the speakers mentioned how much of his talk contained simple answers, but the clever bit is learning to ask the right questions. This is true throughout life. Principles are true in context, but questions are true in every context and ultimately lead us to the correct principle for that context.

Towards the end they also encouraged us to pray for a widespread and simultaneous move of God on the 25^th of September. It will be 40years after a certain church meeting where it was decided to keep the Holy Spirit in the church, after 40years in the desert it’s now time to pray for the Spirit to fall on all flesh. Get ready for the joy explosion.

The final moments of the conference was given over to prayer for family lines and a few prophetic words. This was good. Before heading all the way home we stopped in for a fine curry, and with it more opportunities to enjoy fellowship with my new found family. Finally though, after two busy days I was back home and ready for a good night’s sleep, my spirit buzzing from the fresh feast of the day.

Friday:

A slower start to the day was gratefully welcomed. I asked the Lord early on, what would you like me to do today? His response to pray round the sites where I’d be based, so I set out on a Prayer Ride, from West Bridgeford to the Meadows and onto Uni. I had decided to try and ‘get stuff done’ with the ride as well so popped in to see various secretaries in the University and try and get my registration moving along, but I was faced with disappointment. In hindsight there was little to be disappointed about, but for some reason it hit hard.

One secretary advised me not to register until I had funding, which from her perspective she couldn’t see coming in so I should try and defer entry for a year. I realise the earthly wisdom in this, but I believe God is bigger than logic, never the less this advice hit me hard. I don’t want to defer, I want to see God’s mighty hand of provision come through. So I spent some time by the lake sitting and praying. Everything felt really heavy.

But God is good. Amongst the heaviness I reached out for help, texting old friends to pray for me. Soon after I remembered that on my phone were recorded prophecies so I listened to them. Oh the power of God’s word! A big shift came as I listened to a prayer Shola had prayed over me less than 2 weeks ago, it brought such life and assurance.

My faith was awoken again; the knowledge that despite whatever natural circumstances God has a perfect plan for my life. He is faithful and will bring about His plan. Either He will get me onto this course or set me up for something greater. And so I began praising the Father and making declarations of faith. The shift was awesome. Hallelujah. A prophetic song a bethel friend, Tim, had played over me was then so soothing and the interpretation inspiring. My gaze was set back on heaven.

My confidence was back so I popped in on the Croquet Club and watched the end of the semi finals whilst chatting to a gracious loser. A wonderful warm heart and welcome to a beautiful part of Britain. From there I cycled into town and asked about potential work in a bar that’s based in a converted church before sitting outside and catching up with my parents.

This was wonderful in itself. At the beginning of the summer I’m not sure I would have turned to them in this same way, but God has really brought our whole family closer together. They were great and allowed me to vent all the various stuff that had happened that day and then share the numerous blessings that had also occurred. Dad was great and then offered some simple advice, affirmed who I was and blessed me. It was perfect, thank you Parents.

A brisk cycle home then commenced, complete with a little getting lost, but thanks to some well guided cycle paths I found my way home. Dinner was gleefully consumed before my Nottingham Parents and I cycled across town for Ste and Sophie’s house warming.

Though tired it was lovely engaging in all manner of discussions with local folk and many of their old uni friends. I also got the chance to hear another member of the churches story and stand with her in prayer for continual increase in health. Just before we left there was a wonderful opportunity bantering with some other folk in the church having a good laugh amidst some beautiful romantic stories of how they each got together. Good times deepening the fellowship together.

Saturday:

Today there was the opportunity to go to a local farm to celebrate Sophie’s birthday. Initially I had planned to go but after the down and up of yesterday and a busy three days I decided to keep it relaxed and invest in some personal time with my saviour.

Thanks were given to the various connections that have happened this month as I allowed myself to dream, what might come of each connection. Then prophecies reviewed and added to, updating my prophetic cards and allowing my heart to be marinated in His word. Hebrews was the scripture of the day so hearing of the fathers of faith only strengthened me further.

Now stuff is pinned on the walls, my map of Britain is back up and the continual ‘wakey wakey’ prayer is in full flow. I even managed to construct a display cabinet to house some gifts from my late grandfather, a mark of my spiritual inheritance. All in all, feeling much more settled and established.

My jobs list is cut about in half and we’re ready to approach the second week in town. This time next week Martha will be here with me! How crazy is that! Oh yea, and some other beautifully good news... my wallet has been found! I lost my wallet two weeks ago, and wasn’t fussed for most things, apart from some valuable cuff links from my other late grandfather. Well it turns out the wallet and contents are in a security deposit box in the Home Office. Hallelujah! (This is a total answer to prayer as I said to God, 'I want my cuff links back', the day I lost my wallet) Yey God.

That just about sums up my first week. This adventure certainly looks set to be a little different from Bethel. Where bethel was lots of learning, here it seems lots of life, living out the lessons learnt, walking out family, forming relationships, following Father all the while making sure to keep the life busy-ness balance in check.

One lesson I want to learn is what it the kingdom looks like when moving powerfully in a working class estate. I come from a wonderful middle class family and middle class Christianity. I don’t think it would be right for my idea of successful community transformation to simply be middle class job security. I want to learn from the people what’s on their hearts, what’s inspiring them and what their freedom and Christian walk will look like.

There appears to be a great deal of reaching out to the Meadow’s already. It is right to first capture what God’s heart is for the Meadow’s and then what my role within that is. It’s His Kingdom; I will build as He builds. The idea of street preaching about the available freedom keeps bubbling away, but the timing doesn’t feel right yet. Invest in relationships first, strengthening the covering and accountability. I would like to use prophetic insight to see the gold in people, to open people’s eyes to their destiny and greatness within. But first we love. God give me your heart for your people. Amen.

Whatever you face, whether new or old, let love increase, ask the Lord to increase your capacity to love. Let love cover a multitude of wrongs and praise Him as you grow. He will trust much to those that love much. Love wins.

God bless you mighty warrior,

Praise.