Saturday 28 August 2010

Je Suis en France











Peche Plate - a variety of French Peach













A Room with a view














Berney in Normandie






















Centre Pompidou


I love France. I wish that I came here more frequently. Unfortunately, however, work commitments, life and a lack of finances don't allow me to travel nearly as frequently as I would like. They certainly don't allow me the time to to a thirty-day African adventure.

Here are just a few snaps of my last opportunity this summer to have a bit of rest before the onslaught of a busy autumn at work.


Sunday 22 August 2010

From Glamour Modelling to Ministry

A few years ago I read of a church somewhere in America that did outreach work among sex workers. My heart did a little leap to know that there are some people who think everyone is important no matter what someone might choose for their lives. They are thought of as important enough to spend time with, ministering to their needs.

I still pray that I might have the opportunity to reach the hearts of those working in the sex industry and, you never know, one day that prayer might just be answered. Right now, however, my heart taken another leap to read the story of one women who has left glamour modelling behind because she was no longer happy with taking her clothes off for other people and because Christianity was had become a growing part of her life.

Teresa Carey came from a non-Christian family and got into glamour modelling when she was 17. Then, in 1999 she had a spiritual experience which would eventually lead her to turning her back on her career. In 2003 she had another experience and this time she decided to share it with other people. She continued modelling by day and, by night, she wrote verses and poems.

Now she has left glamour modelling altogether and has published her verses and poems in the book, Rhapsody! In the name of Jesus. She has also written, God's Plan For My Life - What is It?

I wish Teresa all the best. I know that there will be many other people like her. Unlike us, God isn't limited to the kind of people who have never made regretable choices for their lives.




Wednesday 18 August 2010

Ministry Sister Daily

Today I came across the paper.li. It seems like an interesting app. It allows a mash-up of tweets that I like to read as well as tweets covering particular topics. So, have set up and my own daily newspaper and it will automatically publish every day and show in the side bar of this blog.

I don't know how long I might use it for or how useful if really is but here goes.

Have a read.


Tuesday 17 August 2010

Does God Have a Role to Play in Football?

I don't know that God does or doesn't have a role to play in football. That's not the point. The point is, that on prime time TV that question was asked. The result is a series of shorts including this one by the Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin.


Thursday 12 August 2010

Good Bye Pauline

It has been a fortnight of bad and sad news and I hope that it all comes to an end soon.

This evening I learned of the death of one of my classmates, Pauline Bindra.

Pauline was a wonderful woman with a clear missionary vision. She had a wonderful sense of humour, a cheeky grin, a heart for helping others and an intense love for her husband and family.

I met Pauline at Newbold College in 2005 when I was studying theology but it wasn't until the following year, when sitting next to her in class that I really got to know her. I learned that she first enrolled at Newbold back in the 1960s when food was grown in the school's own farms and when there were very strict rules about relationships between men and women and when everyone had to be in their dorms at an hour that would not be tolerated in the modern world.

Back then Pauline didn't have the stomach for it and, from what she said to me, toleration for that kind of rule keeping never changed. She was a free spirit but she also loved God dearly.

Sadly, after she graduated, our lives drifted apart and she continued her business, supported her family and worked on her ministry.

In the last few months, she cropped into my mind on more than one occasion. In fact, she was frequently on my mind.

I guess that, with a more acute sense of God, I might have understood that he was prompting me to pray for her or even to contact her.

I understand that Pauline had been ill and that, while having surgery she suffered a fatal brain haemorrhage.

Pauline's memory will remain with me and the impact that her life has had on mine, will continue to influence me.

I am grateful that I had the opportunity to meet Pauline and to get to know her.

I pray that one day we will meet again.