An Adventure in Ministry

The English novelist Iris Murdoch once said “Prayer” is the most essential of all human activities” and I must say that this is so true. In the past few months I have really tried to focus on creating a regular rhythm of prayer in my life and I have seen just how essential prayer is to every moment of my day. Around 9 months ago I attended a spiritual day for Salvation Army officers and envoys in the North West, led by Majors Mel and Kath Jones. In the afternoon we had the opportunity to pray and reflect. One of the prayer stations was on the Stone Pillar of Jacob. It talked about Genesis 28 when Jacob sees the ladder to heaven. When he awakes he says: ‘Surely the Lord is in this place’ and calls is Bethel which means ‘The house of God.’ We were encouraged to consider where our own Bethel is. In our booklet there was also a quote from Henry Nouwen about finding a place of prayer which has been on my mind ever since it says: “As Jesus invites us, we need to find that private pl...

As I stood worshipping in our Sunday service yesterday I had a vision from God. The building of the Salvation Army in Mold is very unique. We have a charity shop and coffee shop on the ground floor and our worship hall is on the first floor. Through the week we have various acts of worship in the coffee shop and our hall is used for Sunday worship As I sang ‘What a faithful God have I,’ God gave me a picture. It was a picture of the white walls in the worship hall. As we corporately worshipped together, it was like someone was pouring red paint over the walls. It started at the very top corner of the hall and seeped down the walls. The more we worshipped, the further the paint trickled down. It didn’t just stop at the floor of the worship hall but down to the walls of the shop and the coffee shop. The more we worship him, the further the blood of Jesus will spread into everything we are and everything we do. So let’s worship God today in spirit and in truth. 

Today is a good day! The sun is shining, the daffodils on the table I am sitting at are blooming and beautifully scented and as I watch the daily like of my corps go on, I feel so blessed! When I embarked on ministry, I knew it would be diverse, but some days it blows me away! Just this morning (and it's only 10am!) I have spent time soaking in his word, sent copious emails, written a bible study, picked up food donations to gift to a local church, sorted through some donations of clothes and had a sing song!  Ministry is a great orchestra full of diverse instruments, from a simple triangle to an exquisite cello and a kazoo thrown in too!  As I sit and observe the bustle going on around me, I see a member of staff give a lesson to a lad in his twenties on how to add up a bill as he simply cannot count. I watch my husband talk with one of the volunteers, just doing life together. I also see a family come in who are regulars in the coffee shop and have excitedly...

Over the past few days I have spent some time on retreat with some fellow ministers in the Salvation Army. It has been a great time of teaching, relaxing, laughing and worshiping. It has been good taking time out of my (VERY) busy schedule and just focusing on what is important. This morning in my War (prayer) room I was considering the testimony given at the end of the retreat. We heard great words about answered prayer, divine direction and a passion to see God moving more in our community.  One brilliant, Godly man stood up and told how God had healed him and taken him from a place with Cancer everywhere to one where they can't find any! He said if you ever want to know if prayer works, just look at me! AMEN! I had testified about taking Joy in the Lord. That fabulous verse in Nehemiah says 'The joy of the Lord is my strength!', and I told of how God had been bringing great Joy to me in my ministry and how I believed it was strengthening me. As I considered these ...

It’s been a tough couple of weeks. The challenges seem to be coming thick and fast and the devil has started to get a bit personal. But if you remember my word for this year is gratitude so I won’t bore you with any details! Instead let me share some of the great blessings the past few weeks have given me! Sometimes do forget, or maybe don’t appreciate the little messages God gives or those answers to prayers that we have been praying for a long while. Today however, I want to celebrate them! Not only to share with you some of the Awesome things God has done, but by remembering these blessing I am building myself up for the things that are ahead A couple of weeks ago as I was reading my daily devotional I was prompted to read Isaiah 54. When I got to verse 2 I read this. “Enlarge the place of your tent,      stretch your tent curtains wide,      do not hold back; lengthen your cords,      strengthen your stakes. ...

There are days when we feel like we could take on the world, and days when we feel we couldn’t fight our way out of a paper bag! This morning I feel useless! In fact, worse than useless! Don’t get me wrong, there are so many great things going on. I am seeing fruit in my ministry, my marriage and my family but I still feel like I want to pull the duvet over my head and never emerge. Maybe it’s tiredness, maybe it’s because I’m coming down with a cold or maybe I am letting the devil tell me what a failure I am (!)  but It all seems too much. This morning, as I read my daily devotionals (If you are a woman on fire for God and looking for a great daily devotional check out http://herbinderproject.com/ it is fabulous!!) God gave me a message. As I read Psalm 89v8 I felt in awe of his power and faithfulness. I then received a picture of a child hiding behind their father’s legs. I'm sure you have seen the scenario. The dad and child are out and the Dad has seen someone the...

Just under a year ago something happened that completely changed my relationship with God and shaped the way I live out my faith. Over lent I always try to take something on that will help others rather than giving up something, and I often participate in 40 acts. This is where you are challenged to do 40 different things and make an impact in your own community (Check it out at http://www.40acts.org.uk/ ) Last year, day 1 called me to buy a journal and make notes over the 40 days of lent. I bought a journal and started…. And I haven’t stopped! I have written all sorts in my journal; prayers, sermons, notes, doodles, artwork and anything and everything that God has prompted me to do. As I started spending time pouring my heart out to the Lord on the pages of my journal I found my faith was growing, I started really looking forward to spending time with God and was glad to get up a little earlier in order to spend time with him. Recently my expression of faith has been ext...