Rain, Rob Bell.

The next chapter.

I find myself coming to the end of a chapter in my life. A chapter that's been hard, tearful and one that's brought me down.

Remember the wait for the final Harry potter book. Everyone waiting for the book and listening to here when it goes in sale. The books and films where a massive hit and every one who followed the Potter books couldn't hold back for reading the next.

You know as a chapter ends for me I look and wait for the new chapter to be written. Maybe it's the final chapter coming or maybe it's the end of a book.

I know that god has still many more books and many more chapters in him with my name on and although I can't see it now, I think there's a twist in the tail of the coming book.

Are you feeling that your on you last chapter? Are you feeling that the last book has been written?

Trust me when I say that there is still a best seller to be read. There is always another chapter to be written.

Ok I'm finding it hard right now to see the woods through the trees and to see that god has a plan but we read in the bible it tells us

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding".

I guess I'm not understanding to much at the moment. And if your not seeing that next chapter or next book or next trilogy then try and look to god for he has plans beyond our understanding.

The Stair Gate

My youngest Edward is a few days of three. He has an old brother which has meant from an early age he hasn't had to do to much as his older brother has always helped him out.

A week ago I took the stair gates away as I realised he was climbing and "bumping" down the stairs with ease. In fact the only danger was the stair gate at the top.

I realised the to gate was acting more of an obstacle and hazard as I watched him trying to step over the bottom rail or the gate to reach down to the top stair. This slowed him down and made it hard for him to get into a safe descending position (bum on step ready to bump his way down)

Do we have safety items in our life that are actually stopping us from getting to a safe place, or keeping us from actually being free to do what we should.

Maybe it's people we hide behind, it could be money that we see as important when actually its not as important as we think.

It may even be drink as people drink to forget the thing we face in everyday life.

Maybe, just maybe those "safety gates that we keep up are actually holding us back from where we really should be.

Try taking away those safety gates and free up our lives. Try and let god take over the safety gates job and be your brake man. Then maybe you'll see that things we hide behind and things that keep us feeling safe are just not needed.

Sat Nav

I have a sat nav in my car and i find it useful when trusting it, it does its job well. Although its a Woman's voice and is often hard to trust the map reading ability.

If I take the wrong turn it will soon tell me and show me the new route or tell me to do a U turn.

Once back on route it will tell me which turn to take, which lane to be in and what time I'll reach my destination. And if I let it it will tell me the speed limit and tell me where speed cameras are.

Sometimes I find myself thinking I know better than satellite navigation and ignore its directions and go the way I think I should be going.

But you know what, it doesn't stop updating the route to show me how to get back on route.

God works like a sat nav. And never stops showing us the way. If we stray from him he won't give up showing us the way. Remember that lost sheep?

His plan is always there for us to follow but when (not if) we go of route he finds another way to help us get to where he wants us.

The bible says... "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" Psalm 119:15
So gods plan is there for us to see, his word is our direction, if we go off course he doesn't punish us, he updates the route for us and it's never to late to do a u turn.
There is no punishment for our sins, as that's already been taken care of, so listen to the Sat Nav and listen to god as he wants us, no matter what to reach our destination.

Dreams

We all have Dreams, Things we hope for things we want to achieve. But what dreams are achievable and what are fantasy.

I had a dream of playing at Twickenham, and thought it would never happen until Felixstowe RUFC got that chance too. (think I may have mentioned that before). and the dream came true when I was 35.

I have dreams or wishes for my family and business and work toward trying to achieve those dreams.

Should we have things we want to achieve in life? or should we just take it as it comes?

Without dreams and desires we would be living life day by day plodding on for no real reason. So to want something is to work towards it a truly believing in it.

We all need something to live for and we should all have goal or dreams to reach. these may sometimes be very little and achievable or big almost unrealistic dreams. but if we think of those big one as unrealistic then maybe we should either have faith in them or throw them aside.

Maybe the whole God thing just seems unrealistic to you. maybe you see it as an impossibility and one that just is not for you. Well try living that dream, try and look at the impossible. Without faith your dreams may just not be worth holding. But with Faith how ever small, Dream will be made real and and you will see the faithfulness of God.

Living Sacrifices.

Dirty Ball.

At the end of a school week the teacher gave all the children a Ball. She Told them to take them home and look after them over the weekend and bring them back to her on Monday. They all received a ball that where all still and the packaging and brand new.

All the children took the ball home, some took them out of the packets others left them in the packets.

One boy took his ball out of the packet and then out side into the garden to test the bounce. he started throwing it around and kicking it against the wall.

On the Saturday he took the ball to the Park where he meet some of his classmates. They all played with the ball and had a great time even though the weather was bad. and Sunday (after Church I'm sure) he played in the World cup final (alone in his Garden) all afternoon til bed time.

All the children went to school the next morning and the teacher was keen to see what the children had been up to and get the balls back.

Each child handed back a clean untouched ball and where all proud they had look after it so well. When it cam to the boys turn to hand in his ball he looked ashamed and embarrassed, as his ball was handed back marked and dirty.

The teacher was pleased to see this and thanked the boy. The boy and the rest of the class where confused, why has she thanked him? his ball is marked and dirty where all the other children had took back clean new balls.

The boy in question had used his ball for the purpose it was made. he had enjoyed it, and shared it with others. he had spent the time with his ball active and having fun.

The other children had looked after the balls, but did nothing to them. They proudly gave back the untouched balls and thought they had done a great job.

What are you doing with your Ball? or another way to put it, What are you doing with your life.

"God has giveneach of you a gift from hisgreat varietyof spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another"

Are you using it as it was intended, living a life to be proud of and happy with. or are you keeping your life to yourself and keeping it unmarked and wrapped up.

Step Out and try and find ways to use your talents. Try and share them with others and try to see other people talents as well.

Inventions?

What a great moment it must have been when someone discovered fire for the first time.
What a time must have been had when suddenly inventing the wheel. Electricity, medicine and steam engine and important inventions these all are. It is so hard to even start thinking about where we would be without them.

I recent years many many great inventions have change our lives, made things easier and given us a better understanding of the Universe today.

Even now when we think it cant advance much further, someone somewhere comes up with another WOW product.

Lets look at the Internet, this has really had a massive impact on the way we do most things. we can chat to friends, shop, create a business and get any message out into the world. Off course it can be used for bad things and like most things in life you will always get a negative but I think the good parts out shine the bad.

Inventions? how about we look at these things not as an invention but a discovery?

FIRE.... a natural cause of nature that I'm sure when it was invented people where amazed. but its a natural element DISCOVERED by man.

ELECTRICITY.... Once again massive Invention that shapes most of our lives, (when there is a power cut how many of us try and turn on the tele) but it is caused by energy and now we can use Wind and Sun to make it. So that too is a discovery don't you think?

The bible tells us that god created the world the planets and stars.... he invented it. But then God also put the amazing world together with thing to discover. We may not have discovered every thing that god has given us and I hope that we continue to find more hidden things.

Look at time, It is set by the sun and moon. it is God that has placed those things to help the world turn. it was Us that then discovered the pattern of time given to us by the planets and stars.

Discovering Things it Great. Maybe we need to Look around and see what god has given us and discover for ourselves how his Inventions work.

Day at Twickenham

2 Years ago I had a childhood dream made reality. I was Lucky enough, along with my friends at Felixstowe Rugby Club to play at Twickenham.
Now When the News of this was told to me, I (along with 30 others) could not believe it.

Ben Manley (one of the Players) had entered into a competition where he had to write why he thought his club should play at the national stadium. He had explained how the club had fought back from almost closure and how many people had pulled together to make this happen.

The Day was amazing with a coach down to London for a training session with Top coach Shaun Edwards. Then taken to Twickenham where we found our kit hanging up and neatly laid out including a drink and match day programme.

The walking onto the pitch with our names being called out and pictures showing on the big screen, the being feed and walking onto the pitch at half time of the Premiership Final Match.
What a great day for any rugby player, and for my (a life long Rugby Fan) it was one that I will never forget

Ive been so luck to play rugby for over 20 years and though I'm slowing down now and spending more time with family, I still look back at time spent with Felixstowe RUFC with pride.

I have many Friends there and have meet many others on our travels. I have Enjoyed being Captain of all Teams and coaching both Youth and senior teams.

When I look back at all I done in Rugby I can say it has sometimes not always been 'God' driven. and I'm sure as many rugby player will understand, some rugby off pitch antic can sometime involve some unchristian behaviour and Ive been part of some of that too.

I'm not ashamed though as looking back most of the stuff has been fun and no harm or offence was ever part of what went on.

These days I'm looking at ways to mix my faith with my passion and helping to set up the Christian Rugby Group in Suffolk and Norfolk.

Ive realised God does play a part in rugby and I know God can use me and many others to a sport that has a grown massively in the last 10 years.

So how do I go about bring God to Rugby and How do I show that God has a big part to play in my life and can do in others too.

The answer is to try and live my life for him and try to use my actions to let others see what god can do in your life.

Weather you play sport or play music, weather you go to work or school and University, try and let others around you see god in you. Try and get the opportunity to tell others about him.

Remember God wont let you down and is always by your side, and the trick is to recognised those opportunity's god sends to witness rather than force them. See what happens.

Tuff time ahead

Ive been going through a ruff time these last few months and I know I'm in for some ruff times ahead.

Ive really felt and seen God with me thought it and sometimes things that happen I see gods hand guiding.

I guess when times are tuff we do look for some help and some comfort and when we really cant see anyway forward we sometimes stop and cant see the point of trying to look to the future.

There comes a time though, when we have to start thinking of the way ahead and start thinking about the future. And no body can see what the future holds, only God.

We cant change the future we cant control the future and all we can do is move forward with hope.

So what does the bible say? it says something like this.... God is the same today as yesterday and the future. Whats it mean? it means he doesn't judge you or hold your past against you, he has always had hope in you and always will. Also it means he has been there for you all the time, and is now and always will be.

So what ever tuff times are on you now, or that's coming your way, try and look to god to help you and pray to him for strength.

Free Will

Judas!
Judas was a follower of Jesus who at Easter lead the authorities to Jesus which lead to his arrest. being paid for this Judas felt so guilty he hung himself.



Pilot!
Pilot was the man who held all the power. I'm not even sure he really thought Jesus deserved to die. Pilot gave into the calls for Crucifixion and handed Jesus over instead of setting him free.


Look at these two people and we can see that they played a massive part in the death of Christ. But was it a bad thing or was it Gods doing?

Well I hear alot about people hurting others or doing somthing they really dont like, and very quickly start to blame God.

How Can God make this happen? why is God doing This?

But God gives us all free will and doesnt force himself onto any situation.

It says in the bible ''God has plans for god not for bad" however he cant stop people doing bad things to people but he will be there to help with the hurt.

The Plan of God was to send Jesus to die for us. but weather or not his plan was for Judas or Pilot to play apart in that Im not sure, I wonder all the time about that, and I guess God maybe did have another plan but Judas and Pilot had free will and the rest is History.

Dont look at bad things as Gods doing, we are all given free will by god, he will ever force himself on us but will be there as soon as you seek him whole heartedly, And maybe the bad things in life can be brushed aside with God in your life.

Easter

So I'm guessing every had a good Easter week end. Mixed bag of weather as per normal.

What does Easter mean to you? and do you celebrate it?

For me Easter is the most important time in the church calendar. It is the time when we remember Jesus being beaten and punished and the nailed to a cross and left to die.

Jesus body was taken to a tomb and laid to rest but Jesus came back to life. Many people told others that they had seen Jesus in full form.

The Christian faith is massively to do with believing the Easter story. Jesus died to take the punishment for our sins so that god wouldn't have to punish us. But then Jesus overcame death and came back to life.

Jesus said "I am the redirection and the life, he that believes in me shall not die but will live forever" This is the bases of the Christian faith that god sent his so to die the worst death ever so that our sins would be forgiven and we would have that chance of eternal life.

It's hard to see that Jesus came back from the dead. And I guess that's the thing that people find the hardest to understand.

As a believer of the resurrection I would have to say that it's not hard to see if you know what god can do in your life.

Try looking for god "those who seek shall find". Once you have god then you'll see that raising from the dead was simply not impossible for him.