Reflections on 2005
Maybe I should have written this last night. But I was still collecting my thoughts!
Things I've enjoyed...
>Handing over the reigns to a new exec at Reading Uni Christian Union (RUCU)- fantastic time of seeing the baton passed on.
>Wales winning the Grand Slam!!!!!!!!!
>Seeing friends graduate and move on to be used by God elsewhere.
>Ros and Dave getting married.
>EMW Camps - seeing young people grasp hold of the Word and want more - seeing them come to faith. Seeing them strengthened. Hallelujah!
>My little bro Gethin coming back to God on camp.
>Barcelona! I could go on for hours...in fact, I already have! Here, and here!
>Starting my 4th year with an immense passion for God, for proclaiming the gospel on campus, for RUCU!
>Having Helen back at Reading! Praise God for restoring her health!
>RUCU Houseparty 2005.
>Being a cell leader again!
>RUCU Carol Service 2005.
>Most of my placements!
>Spending Christmas at home.
Things I've not enjoyed...
>Getting so engrossed in my work and other stuff that I didn't enjoy passing on the baton as much as I should have done, wasn't the support I should have been, and lost my vision for the work God's doing on campus through RUCU.
>Being ill, niggly little things that wouldon't go away.
>Seeing people graduate and leave Reading.
>My auntie having another operation. But praise God for getting her through it!
>Discipline!
>Mam being ill and finding work difficult.
>My little bro Gethin blocking me on MSN!!
>Being away from home in all of the above.
>Other things I won't go in to here...!
As the poem I wrote today says, it's entirely by God's grace I sit here writing this this evening. I wrote that in response to something else Jonathan said in church this morning - that yeah, as we look back over the year, there will have been hard times as well as good. There will have been rough, unsteady, uncertain times. But we're still here wanting to please God, wanting to live for Him, because He has brought us through -or is still bringing us through - those times. He is faithful and true. And it's entirely by His grace. Wow, that really blew me away!
Perhaps more so because over the Christmas hols my heart hasn't been right, hasn't been focused on God, hasn't been seeking after Him. And that was weird. I found it weird that, at home, I'd be like that. I thought if anything, being with my family, and reflecting on all the amazing things God's done this term, this year, I'd be stronger. But I haven't been, I've been the opposite.
I can conjecture reasons for that but ultimately it's rubbish. "Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to enquire of the Lord..." (2 Chronicles 20:3).
It should be instinctive to run to God with whatever I'm going through, especially hard times, instead of trying to do it on my own.
Ultimately, my eyes should always be fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, whatever my situation- whether I'm happy and full of praise, whether I'm feeling battered and bruised by life, or whether I'm just mulling along.
"We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you" (2 Chronicles 20:12).
My prayer for the year ahead is partly that. That I'll always keep my eyes fixed on Jesus especially when I don't know what to do. And that if I do fall away from seeking after Him as I should, that I won't let the shame of that prevent me from coming back and throwing myself at His wonderful feet once more - I stand in grace. Wonderful, beautiful, amazing grace, that saved a wretch like me.
Ed's post today was a wonderful reminder of grace and really encouraged and challenged me to strain onwards for God (as always - unless he's talking about footy!). Also, check out Tim's post.
Dance, dance, everybody dance! Let the joy of the knowledge of grace overflow in your hearts - and take that with you into the coming year....let's do it ALL for Him, for nothing and nobody else is worthy of our time.
Things I've enjoyed...
>Handing over the reigns to a new exec at Reading Uni Christian Union (RUCU)- fantastic time of seeing the baton passed on.
>Wales winning the Grand Slam!!!!!!!!!
>Seeing friends graduate and move on to be used by God elsewhere.
>Ros and Dave getting married.
>EMW Camps - seeing young people grasp hold of the Word and want more - seeing them come to faith. Seeing them strengthened. Hallelujah!
>My little bro Gethin coming back to God on camp.
>Barcelona! I could go on for hours...in fact, I already have! Here, and here!
>Starting my 4th year with an immense passion for God, for proclaiming the gospel on campus, for RUCU!
>Having Helen back at Reading! Praise God for restoring her health!
>RUCU Houseparty 2005.
>Being a cell leader again!
>RUCU Carol Service 2005.
>Most of my placements!
>Spending Christmas at home.
Things I've not enjoyed...
>Getting so engrossed in my work and other stuff that I didn't enjoy passing on the baton as much as I should have done, wasn't the support I should have been, and lost my vision for the work God's doing on campus through RUCU.
>Being ill, niggly little things that wouldon't go away.
>Seeing people graduate and leave Reading.
>My auntie having another operation. But praise God for getting her through it!
>Discipline!
>Mam being ill and finding work difficult.
>My little bro Gethin blocking me on MSN!!
>Being away from home in all of the above.
>Other things I won't go in to here...!
As the poem I wrote today says, it's entirely by God's grace I sit here writing this this evening. I wrote that in response to something else Jonathan said in church this morning - that yeah, as we look back over the year, there will have been hard times as well as good. There will have been rough, unsteady, uncertain times. But we're still here wanting to please God, wanting to live for Him, because He has brought us through -or is still bringing us through - those times. He is faithful and true. And it's entirely by His grace. Wow, that really blew me away!
Perhaps more so because over the Christmas hols my heart hasn't been right, hasn't been focused on God, hasn't been seeking after Him. And that was weird. I found it weird that, at home, I'd be like that. I thought if anything, being with my family, and reflecting on all the amazing things God's done this term, this year, I'd be stronger. But I haven't been, I've been the opposite.
I can conjecture reasons for that but ultimately it's rubbish. "Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to enquire of the Lord..." (2 Chronicles 20:3).
It should be instinctive to run to God with whatever I'm going through, especially hard times, instead of trying to do it on my own.
Ultimately, my eyes should always be fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, whatever my situation- whether I'm happy and full of praise, whether I'm feeling battered and bruised by life, or whether I'm just mulling along.
"We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you" (2 Chronicles 20:12).
My prayer for the year ahead is partly that. That I'll always keep my eyes fixed on Jesus especially when I don't know what to do. And that if I do fall away from seeking after Him as I should, that I won't let the shame of that prevent me from coming back and throwing myself at His wonderful feet once more - I stand in grace. Wonderful, beautiful, amazing grace, that saved a wretch like me.
Ed's post today was a wonderful reminder of grace and really encouraged and challenged me to strain onwards for God (as always - unless he's talking about footy!). Also, check out Tim's post.
Dance, dance, everybody dance! Let the joy of the knowledge of grace overflow in your hearts - and take that with you into the coming year....let's do it ALL for Him, for nothing and nobody else is worthy of our time.
posted by Welshie at 7:55 PM
1 Comments:
Thanks Ceryn. Believe me dude you're not the only one who's struggled at home over Christmas. I love the verse from Chronicles you've got tho.
And yes, lol, my blog should probably be more about God and less about football...kind of a leit motif for my life there really.
See you soon.
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