This is the place where you will find random thoughts and quick responses to current issues.

Please feel free to respond to the things posted but please keep any responses gracious and done in the spirit Jesus would be pleased with, we are after all fallible human beings!

11th November 2006

'life in all its fullness'

John 10:10

I want to live a BIG life - a life that matters and by its living, reaches out to others with a glimpse of what an adventure a God-filled life can be. I want my life to be full of everything that God has for me - all the opportunities, challenges, questions and answers.

So why when I am faced with Jesus' invitation to live 'live life in all it's fullness" do I constantly only see half the picture. Why do I constantly expect that life in all it's fullness means that everything should be great - or at least in some way getting a bit 'better' - and that if my life isn't great - in some way I have missed the 'fullness' bit? Why do I praise God more in the great times than the hard times?

I don't think I'm on my own here - I've seen loads of people fall into this trap and go searching for a way of escaping the hard times. Escape by denial, or blame or ignoring or moaning, or simply running away from situations that seem to be sending us into a difficult place. But actually I can't see that God ever promises that life will be easy - so surely a 'life of fullness' is actually just that - a complete life, a real life, a full life, a big life and that kind of life inevitably brings good times, and hard times, answers and questions, completeness and emptiness and all kind of other things besides...

It's in the empty, messy, perplexing times when God asks the really hard questions - do you trust me now, or do you only trust me when life is good and you have all the answers? It's in these times when I need to be able to join in & say "Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vine & though the olive crop fails & the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen & no cattle in the stalls - yet I will rejoice in the Lord" (Habakkuk). That's a big life: when humanly things are rubbish, to be able to say that I will still trust God... and I will...and I do...and to be able to do that - there lies true 'life in all its fullness'.

Liz Etherton
Director
North Staffs Youth for Christ
Stoke on Trent

Posted by Michaela on 11th November 2006 23:14:07

Read comments (0) :: Post comment

27th May 2006

things will go on

By now most of you iGi:ites will be aware that Rachel and I will be leaving shortly. We will be sorry to be leaving you but this is an opportunity that has opened up that we could not pass on.

You are all great and to be involved in what God has been doing in and through you in the last four years has been a fantastic. You have blessed me more than you will know and taught me more than you will ever know.

Times of change can be unsettling but please keep your focus on Jesus. What has taken place in the development of iGi will continue because you are what makes iGi happen. This is going to be an opportunity for some of you to develop in leadership and character as you help others deal with the changes. Please be an encouragement to one another and support one another in God.

You lot are great and i know that God has not finished with what has been started so keep on...

Posted by Iain on 27th May 2006 21:50:33

Read comments (0) :: Post comment

4th April 2006

'Just the person...'

When growing up you are asked to do many things, such as brush your teeth or clean your room, when asked to do these things you often complain and ask "why do I have to do it??" and the answer is almost always "because I told you too." What I have noticed is that a lot of people are like that as well, they have the attitude that why should I do it when someone else can. I read a book lately that brought up the question on why we should do things, and why no one else should do it. If God asks you to do something it's because you are the person He wants to do it. The person He has deemed best for the job.

Well imagine if Jesus had that attitude, where would be?! If asked to do something I fully believe that we should, no matter how big or small, do it. What's more we should do it without answering back or complaining, every little thing that we do adds up to the person we are becoming and the different ways we can serve the Lord. So I put it to you that when asked to do something you will and that you will learn from it and use it, even if is just to tidy your room.

Posted by Iain on 4th April 2006 00:00:00

Read comments (0) :: Post comment