Deepen - Youthwork The Conference

Youthwork the Conference is always a good thing to go to, it is great if you go with friends or have people to meet up with when you are there.

I'd have to say I felt incredibly well connected with the network this year. It does help that I'm now very established and quite comfortable in large crowds.

We started this year with a retreat day, no main speaker as in previous years, but some how that's much better. People who are on the retreat day are very much geared to valuing retreats and making the most of the time given. We had 2 and 1/4 hours to 'be' with God. I managed 10 mins alone time, my God speaks to me through interesting and deep conversation. Retreat day was definitely not a waste of time. My only problem was that if it takes us 15 minutes to get into a proper attitude of prayer (Richard Bromley said it at the start of the weekend) then why only spend 15 minutes in worship?

Anyway, trees are very good for reflection. Roots, trunk, branches and fruit. I'll look at trees very differently from now on. I made some new friends on the retreat day too.

On to the main event. Opening with Mike P talking about David. He was very good. I've heard a lot about David this summer, I'm understanding more and more about him as I grow up.
The following morning was opened with an hour of worship, led by the Soul Survivor band (thank God they didn't sing the woooooah song). Great way to start the day, and the weather wasn't bad at all.

The rest of the morning was split into 3 streams (first time ever) Soul, Society and Service. I went to Society. Gerard Kelly and Russ Rook discuss the importance of engaging in culture, looking at Acts and how others can teach us to be better Christians.

The afternoon was taken up with just one seminar on Healthy Living. Good illustrations, definitely some thinking points from that one.

Saturday evening Chris Curtis spoke on David's dark side and allowing God to go deeper with us.
And the after hours Soul Party, dancing the night away! (also going to the beach at midnight)
Sunday morning more seminars, one about 15-18's work, and I didn't go to the second one because it was raining, and I'd left my waterproof shoes at home.
Final session was Nancy Goudie. She, unfortunately, ended on a bum note. I know following God isn't all easy, but in the Christian bubble we like to be assured that it is. I left Nancy's talk feeling depressed and disappointed.

Journey home was very fun, Gill and I discussing the sky and how it's really beautiful this time of year.

So to summarise: Good things: retreat day, food, friends, smiles and sky. Things to improve: Final session, weather, and memory (for shoes).

In other news, Christmas approaches, you can have the whole world in your hands with a PSP and I'm going to Germany in a week! Hopefully the joy will be everlasting.

Soul Sista, half term and essays

I got the feedback from my first essay for my masters today, a narrow pass and I know that I had a harsh marker, so it's ok, and I've taken it on board for the next one, which is due in two weeks.

The last week has been half term, and it's been relatively quiet. Only five weeks til Easter... yeay.

We headed to Soul Survivor today, with 600 other girls, we learnt about how amazing we are. Amazing to be me, amazing to be a girl and amazing to belong to God. All good things. We had a very good talk about Hosea.

Came home to some beautiful purple tulips.

Survived!

These are some of the 12,000 people I just spent the week with. It was one of the driest weeks in the british 'summer'... but you've gotta love it.

Wellies became a new skin for the most part. It did help, but at the end of the week it was back to flip flops.

God is moving in different ways all over the camp this year. He always does some really interesting stuff and it was good to see some of my young people respond and engage. We had marquee issues, but some lovely people from St Hugh's saved us.

I also randomly met a lovely lady in the shower queue and some of my cardiff friends were around.

But this picture pretty much sums up how I felt all week. Joy over rides everything and at the end of the day all I can do is try to be more like Jesus.

Off to Canada to see Jana on Monday. Well excited.

Pinicking & Dressing Up

Dressing for a wedding. This is the dress and shoes I will wear when I am a bridesmaid for the first time ever! Very excited. Chris took some arty photos of me in the bridal shop and now I'm thinking about what I can do for the rest of my time in Canada... any suggestions?


I was messing round with my digital and SLR camera before I go to Canada to see what type of photo's I could get from the huge lillies I brought the other day, this is one of many.


The children playing in Ashridge today at the church picnic. Climbing up is never an issue, it's always getting down! The littlest one didn't climb she was lifted. They kept me busy all afternoon, but I had such a good time.

This week is preparing for Soul Survivor and preparation for the new term. Keep praying hard! I know I am.

Spiderpig...

'...Does whatever a spiderpig does'

The Simpson's Movie was genius, much more so if you know a little bit about the Simpson family. I clearly watch too much, and whilst laughing all the way through the movie, I was pretty much the only one! I'm a geek.

St Hugh's is being generous at the mo, so I've got lots of time to do things that I haven't got round to doing in the year. Finally clearing out stuff, putting the babies away and tidying, ready for a month away from luton in the next 2 months.

We cleared the church loft of all the camping stuff ready to lend tents to LCF and St Mary's (we're generous in the small things) and then take too much stuff to week B of Soul Survivor. If you are at Bath and West Showground for week B come find me!!

Next month is gonna be busy... watch this space for pictures, thoughts, and mini-updates.