Larry Norman, 1947 - 2008

For Christians of a ‘certain age’ Larry Norman was who we grew up with. His 1972 album ‘Only Visiting This Planet’ was voted the best Christian album ever recorded, by the American Christian music industry. It was my own introduction to Larry Norman’s music, and I agree.

In 1972, I had only recently found my Christian faith, and to be ‘baptised’ into Christian rock and roll with such classics as ‘Why Should the Devil have all the Good Music’ and 'I Wish We’d All Been Ready’ was no bad thing. Larry Norman led the way in the Jesus People revolution of the 1970’s and his ‘one way’ finger in the air became the signature of a generation. A whole raft of successful Christian artists followed in his wake, many of them signed to Larry Norman’s own record label ‘Solid Rock’.

He had been ill for some years and knew he was dying. In his own inimitable way, he signed off with some final lyrics:

Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

Did the earth move for you?!.....

....It certainly did for me. At about 1.00am on Wednesday morning to be precise.

The centre of the earthquake was not far away, in Lincolnshire, so we felt a pretty strong tremor in Peterborough. In fact, including an earthquake when I was out in LA one time, this was the strongest I have felt. The bed shook, you could hear the rafters in the roof creaking and the walls were shaking. The whole house felt like it was paper thin.

'The mountains quake before God and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it.' Nahum 1: 5

'What a mess the world is in, I wonder who began it. Don't ask me, I'm only visiting this planet.' Larry Norman (died 24/2/08).

The God who lengthens bones and changes cities

Still buzzing with the excitement of an amazing time out in India, I got back today to learn that I am to be made redundant, with my company having been bought by a Dutch company.

One of the talks I gave in India was on the theme of the 'God who lengthens bones and changes cities'. Claudette, one of the team, had spoken very powerfully in one of the church meetings on the miracle God had done in her life, growing a bone in her leg by three inches after she and her mother prayed- it's quite genuine and the physio has verified it! I spoke on the story of Nehemiah in the Bible where God restores the broken down walls of the city.

So as I face another job search, I have the 'God who lengthens bones and changes cities' on my side. How can I possibly fail?!

Same shoes, different soil

On Friday I fly out with seven friends for eight days in India. A mix of speaking at church meetings and sending out medical supplies to the villages, it will be, as always, challenging and fulfilling.

It's one of those times when you want to be there and don't want to go all at the same time!

It's amazing that in 12 short hours, including a change of planes in Dubai, we can be on another continent. Same shoes, different soil.