God of Glory

Well, back on dry land for just one night. Wow - God is good - yes, God is good!!

Now you'll have to just go with me on this one because it is impossible to stay calm about what God is doing at New Wine.

When I think about what God is doing at New Wine through his Spirit, I am also seeing what God is doing on the streets of our urban centres, in China, in the Philippines and throughout the world at large so it is just awesome to think that God by his omnipotence and omniscience can be doing all these things simultaneously, but that's where the brain just has to quit trying to rationalise and just accept!

New Wine is packed to busting, over-subscribed, with more people than ever before...

We are listening to Bruce Collins and Michelle Guiness and Andy Hawthorne and others, facilitated by Ian and Nadine Parkinson. I have notes on bits of paper everywhere that I have to organise and then I hope to share some of what I have learned. I will return tonight to New Wine with one small, portable netbook - ah-ha - easier than scribbling all over the children's drawing pads.

Yesterday, I met Michelle Guiness and spoke to her about Kephale...emmm. She presented brilliantly on Paul in the NT and how his message about women has been so misunderstood. Oh, yes! 'love you, St Paul.

She gave an interpretation of 1 Tim 2 11-15 which is a little different from the interpretations I've read, but hey, that's hermeneutics for you - one day we'll know in full.

I've asked Michelle how I can blog her talk whilst at the same time accrediting it to her, so she will get back to me about how might be the best way to do that. If you're interested in hearing her interpretation of what God is saying to women or you have had experiences where the church has held you back or limited the effectiveness of your giftings, watch this space.

(Hi to Aldersgate, this site's new follower. You can always email me to tell me a little bit more about yourself, so glad you're dropping in. Let me know how I can give you a link back.)

As regards personal growth, which I don't always share on this blog because sometimes you just feel a bit plain embarrassed and wonder if you might slightly freak people out, especially if they're newbie Christians, well...I can't help but share a little...so remeber these are my experiences. God has a plan for us all, we are all unique and he has gifted us according to his plans and good purposes ... so for me, in no particular order...

I have tried to fight a call to empower women in ministry, I have tried to be more neutral, and I have healed and let go and forgiven and hope I am forgiven but God has made it very clear that speaking to women is going to be a part of my ministry so I surrender to that one and just rest back to see what God has in store for me and what shape that will take. I pray it will be godly. Men and women both need to be released from the gender cages that they can become locked in... but more about that another time.

I am so grateful to God that I can now speak in tongues, this began last Thursday, the day before I saw my DDO for the Bap breakdown, I won't say too much about it here. I am like a child learning but I'm getting there. It has been the answer to about two years of prayer... sometimes we just have to wait but it lends a clarity to my prayer life I've not known before. It's fab to have two voices, one aloud which is well, you, know...I don't know...there are no words to describe it and the other internal, interpreting, in English! Which helps! So there's where I might freak some of you out, depends on who you are I guess...but hey, I am really normal, honest!

I have also learned that I can put up a tent! Woo-hoo - I have practical gifts too. My husband was nicely surprised that when he arrived, our canvas house was ready. Tent-maker! Well, kind-of.

So I'm signing off. We head back later to send daughter number one to the club she's loving and to meet up with our church mates and the other friends who are coming to join us and I just bubble over at the thought that this is what I get to do with the rest of my life until I meet him face-to-face. My family are hopping aboard this train too and we are all hanging on for the ride of our lives. Bless you, Father for all your good gifts.