A Little Adventure

I love a bit of adventure. And I can make an adventure out of the tiniest thing as well (like driving in London or putting on a Holiday club). If you enjoy a little bit of adventure ever now and then, it makes life a little better.

So I went on a little adventure last week. All the Way to Atlanta, Georgia and back. "What's in Atlanta?" I hear you ask. Well, I'll tell you! My best friend is in Atlanta.

Here's some pictures from my first (but not last) trip to the States.

Penguin up close and personal
The Sea turtleThe "Finding Nemo" part of the Aquarium
Jelly Fish
The CNN centre and it's vastness. Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it! I literally gasped. I'm in the bottom right corner. It's a bit mental for something to be that huge, but then that's my general impression of America anyway!Here we are at the end of the Atlanta Braves baseball game. The Braves lost, but it was a good first experience of baseball.
Sweetwater Creek State Park. A very beautiful placeMe and my best friend!
I really liked my first experience of America. It was lots of fun and an eye opener in many ways. And there are many more adventures to come, but more about that later!

end of term

Well, the academic year has come to an end for children in English schools. We are now on summer break. And when I say break, I don't mean for the youth workers, nor the teachers.

While this year has been a challenge, we've also had some amazing things happen. I won't bore you with the details, but my young people always surprise and encourage me. They are brilliant and well disciplined. They turn up to events, pull out all the stops to welcome others and become more of who God created them to be each time I see them.

We have natural leaders, preachers and the faithful. It's an excellent mix.

So here we are. I've been at my job for 4 years this August. And as visions go, I'm pretty clear for this year. But God can change those things too.

done and done!

Cycling is over!!! Wohoo! And a few days in advance as well, very proud of myself!

I cycled 400 miles in 35 days and last night I had a dream that if one person reposted this I would get the money for it!

Later I'll put a picture up of the moment I finished, though it won't be of my face, because I was far too hot and tired!

Please sponsor me http://www.justgiving.com/nerakjf

Schools Work

It's that time of year again where I spend most of my days in school working with younger children. This year I'm going on the church trips, the river trips and going in to teach year 8 about Christianity.

It's really good to see the children working together, behaving well and actually learning while they are going. Museums Luton do a brilliant session at the River Lea which is on my home patch, so I get to spend the day hanging out at the river and enjoying learning about it all. I think if i ever went into formal education, I really wouldn't mind schools work with a museum.

I'm not massively looking forward to teaching Christianity this year, but I was encouraged yesterday that even by being who I am, accessing the authority given me by God and being real, I can and will shine the light of Jesus to the children I come across. it's time to take a deep breath and run into the arms to God, knowing He'll carry me through, be standing up with me and working by his spirit.

I am no loved more or less, and I'm glad that love from God is unconditional. Here we go again...

JM Pics

This is my desktop picture. It is lovely. And a testament to modern technology! Enjoy!

Seaside Rock Holiday Club

Yeay! Only one more session to go of Holiday Club, which takes the form of Sunday@11 at St Hugh's.

I'm so glad it's over, but sad at the same time, all that we have been working towards over the last 3 months was done in 6 hours!

The theme was Peter's encounters of Jesus. We took on the drama in typical St Hugh's style, doing our own thing and being really relevant whilst doing so. It seemed as though the drama's went down really well. We had about 30 children, half Reception age, the rest up to year 6.

I've a lot to learn about running a holiday club, but also I've learnt a lot. It's been a good week. I'm pretty exhausted, but really looking forward to tomorrow morning.

JM Wembley Arena 27/05/10

Well, what can I say? As always John Mayer is never one to disappoint. I don't really like Wembley Arena as a venue, it's not at all intimate, but somehow Mayer just pulled the whole crowd up on to the stage as if he was just playing to me.

He opened with Why Georgia, and it just got better from there on in. We had Your Body is a Wonderland and Slow Dancing in a Burning Room. There was one point where he stopped and got a girl in the front row to sing Edge of Desire with him, and the whole of Wembley Arena was silent for a minute while they sang. It was incredible.

He closed with Half of my Heart and encored with No Such Thing and Gravity.

I have never been to a better gig. Definite 5 stars.

As a support act Ellie Goulding was good, though not as big a stage presence. He music passed and there wasn't a lot to it. Though she can play guitar and drums! Pretty fun to watch.