This year more than most there is much that I am experiencing here that I really cannot write properly about. I thought I would share a list of some of them here:
- The joy of working hard with my wife by my side. It is so nice to be partnering with her. I just love the photographs she is producing for each post. It is incredibly busy trying to cram everything into our days here at conference, but for me it is very rewarding. Please pray for her that today is also amidst the business a day which feels like a rest, and is a time of refreshing.
- The relief of feeling physically almost entirely fit following my recent bout of shingles, and thus being able to do all this, though there is still some pain and tiredness that remains. A sickness that lays you low reminds you that you cannot presume on God that you will be able to do everything you would want to. May I not forget that lesson.
- The pleasure of catching up with friends old and new, and from many different countries. It took us what felt like half an hour to walk from the bookstore to the front door of the center because of old friends that we bumped into.
- The sadness that it is simply not possible to catch up properly with some people that we know well here, including for example many of the people from our own church who we simply do not tend to see at the event. At least we stand a better chance of speaking with them back at home, I suppose
- The worship. How can I possibly do justice to the joy in the Spirit, the love for God, the theological truths coming alive, and the powerful sense of being caught up in a crowd who love God?
- The giving evening and prayer / news meeting. There is simply no way I can explain what it is like when several thousand people pray together for a few hours. I will not even attempt to blog about that event this year.
- The seminars. This year I was planning to attend PJ and Ashley Smyth’s seminars on parenting and marriage. I feel I have a lot to learn in that area. When it was canceled, I decided to attend the “Fighting for the charismatic” series. I am passionate about seeing more of the gifts of the Spirit released. But, there is only so much I can blog about in one day. So I have made a deliberate decision not to blog about the seminars I am attending at all this week.
- Interviews. Somehow this year time seems to be tighter than ever for us. As a result, please don’t be expecting a whole lot of video interviews. We have filmed one I am sure you will like, but I am not sure whether we will even be able to capture another.
- What God has been saying to me personally. I have had a number of personal prophetic words given to me, and a strong sense of God speaking to me individually both through things said generally and when praying. Much of this needs processing, and it is not really wise to discuss it here before such processing has been done (if ever!) But feeling that God has something to say to me as an individual has been very welcome. I get the feeling this leaders conference might be more transforming for me than any previous one, and that is saying a lot as I have been to many Newfrontiers events over the years.
- Thursday morning’s main session. Because of the time pressures, for what I think is the first time ever, I have decided to miss reporting on one of the main teaching sessions. I am going to need that time to catch up with the ones I have not yet published, hopefully get some non-pressured time with my wife, I have some phone calls I have to make, and I also plan to spend some of the time praying. Terry’s word which reinterpreted a popular verse as telling us to “Stop and know that God is in charge” seems apt. The trouble is with me missing a main teaching session like that is you all get to notice because nothing appears here. But I do not have a breastplate of providing notes for everyone so they are pleased with me, rather I have a breastplate of Jesus’ righteousness. So I intend to skip that session without feeling too much guilt, and to make good use of the time that I save.
- The global zone and resources exhibition. I am hearing great things about the sessions that are going on about various parts of the world we are working in. There has been good crowds there listening and responding. The bookshop is bigger this year and there are many things to see down there.
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