In one year, Naomi raised £100K for four great charities, but, more importantly, she taught the joy of giving to those who would one day likely be very wealthy. Naomi began seeing how her mission was tied to the position God had placed her in.
Getting alongside people in complicated or chaotic situations can be really challenging. Maybe, like me, those circumstances make you want to run in the opposite direction, or you find yourself frustrated or feeling hopeless. Some of Jesus’ most memorable interactions in the Bible were with ‘messy people’.
Our friends see us as we are. Familiarity over the years has allowed us to share lives in a relaxed atmosphere where we have been able to laugh, argue and, at times, cry together. Dreams have been disclosed, plans hatched and secrets revealed, as we make ourselves vulnerable and available.
One of the places I show up to work is a local community theatre. It’s volunteer-run and packed-out week to week with local groups putting on shows. Every now and again I’ll be asked to play guitar for a week: which means showing up on time, being prepared, getting on with people and doing the best work I can do. Could this also be a holy place, even when I’m not aware of it?
After the slow pace of summer, September can be a shock to the system. If I had to sum up the autumn term in one word, it would be: busy. It’s easy to get distracted by building new routines, comparing holiday experiences and negotiating birthdays, Halloween and Christmas. As autumn gets underway, I can quickly become overwhelmed.
If you knew you only had 3 years left to live, how would you invest that time? Jesus invested deeply in a few people, who could pass on to the next generation what they learned.
Navigators Sail Cap
£25.00
'Bear much fruit' Sweater - Women
£38.00
'Bear much fruit' Sweater - Men
£38.00
Navy Navigators Sweater - Women
£35.00
Navy Navigators Sweater - Men
£35.00