I’m getting into the Christmas feel

Here is the video I’ve edited for the carol services that are happening next week! Thought I’d share:

http://player.vimeo.com/video/17211198

Are you invited? from Sadie Granberg on Vimeo.

Relay One, Forum and Grudem

Second Relay update!

So much has happened and I want to share but the longer it goes I think the more intimidating it will be to write, so here goes! Have now been relaying for a month, and its been really good. We started off with two weeks of conference, relay one and Forum and the highlights of this were really the teaching which was all about grace. grace grace grace. (repetition for emphasis, trying to give a feel of what the teaching was like)

2 Corinthians 12:9
“‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

I feel that this is incredibly freeing, its not about me and my performance in any way, in fact when I’m not good enough that’s a good thing! I felt that if I don’t learn anything or accomplish anything this year than having really learned about grace and the need to incorporate grace into our lives on a daily basis has been worth it, worth doing the entire program.

In the middle of Forum I went back to London to graduate. Having been for two weeks at conferences where everybody was really friendly and there was an atmosphere where I felt like I could just talk to anyone regardless of prior relationship, I then applied these principles at my graduation ceremony. I ended up telling the Goldsmiths warden about UCCF, relay and the Christian Union at Goldsmiths which he seemed at least politely very interested in!

Other highlights have been that I’ve started cycling! this is quite amazing for me because I have attempted to start cycling for the past two years without success. My new second-hand bike:

I won an ipod shuffle at London Southbank’s fresher’s fair in a competition. This involved driving with a car simulator a car in the most economical way! I never win driving games and I never win things like ipods either so this was quite amazing.

The study has been a real blessing as well. In my personal study I’ve been learning about the gnostic gospels, about how the New Testament canon was put together, and about the trinity from Wayne Grudem’s book; Systematic Theology.

My foot is there to attempt to give perspective to the size of the book

Which leads me to share a video I’ve just discovered of some previous relay workers and how they feel about systematic theology. What I love about the relay program is one line in the booklet introducing what relay is which says (it could be a disclaimer): “relay doesn’t take itself too seriously”. Enjoy.

Apparently this is what we have to look forward to in Relay two- the karaoke competition which we have time specifically scheduled to prepare for!

First Relay update!

The first update:

I have not yet decided how much detail to go into so will need feedback on whether you are bothered to read this or not.

Hot and sunny

I have just got back from amazing holiday in a sunny hot country (the USA) to cold, wet England and will be going on the first relay training camp next week! My first (actually second, but first sounds better for emphasis) official relay purchase has been a pair of wellies! I’m updating about these because not only are they awesome, but I bought them for half of the price which was already reduced using Hong Kong haggling skills! (They were discoloured slightly and I have now realised that they are different sizes as well!) The point of talking about this is not again because they are awesome (they match the dress I was wearing to the shop) but I feel like maybe its a small example of how God has been taking care of me in a tangible way.  Other ways have been through random people offering to support me who I’ve barely asked because I’ve been too terrified to, which has meant that I’ve managed to raise half of the 6500 pounds I will be needing for the year. A lady from church offering to show me the bike routes to where I’ll be working this Saturday, and I am being lent an SLR camera on a long-term basis!

They match the carpet!

I read or heard somewhere this last week that faith means to keep on believing in the Goodness of God, that God is good and wants good things for us. I feel that perhaps this is one of the challenges presented by relay,  and that something small like finding a pair of boots that I like which even match the carpet in my room but are also a good price that I can afford is a testimony to the fact that God is good and wants good things for us!

I’ve just moved house, and am in the process of unpacking and getting organised. It has rained more times than I want to count since I’ve been back (I am happy to be back, just need to give a weather update!). Will be living within walking distance of church which is awesome, and one of the first tasks in my new place was to bury a rat in the garden!

I am oscillating between feeling like I’m not quite sure what I’ve gotten myself into and fear of the unknown/ uncertain future and excitement at the new challenge/adventure ahead.

Pray that I would be able to face my fears, settle into my new home and that God would prepare a way for me with people he wants me to meet, situations he wants me in and circumstances where my abilities will meet needs.

End.