Living Globally

This is not meant as a political comment, but Brexit will not keep us out of Europe. Nor will building walls stop Central America from being next to the United States.

More importantly, nothing can stop clear and easy communication from taking place between these nations. We live in a Global World. That world is facilitated by the Internet and social media. If it’s blocked, it going to get through anyway.

Much of the recent popular protests in countries as diverse as Hong Kong and Lebanon started life on WhatsApp, Facebook and other forms of social media.

We trade globally too. If my wife (who is of Indian heritage) wanted to buy a new sari a few years back, she would go to the Melton Road (‘Little India’) in Leicester. She’d pay a premium for it. The shopkeeper had had to pay a wholesaler. He’s had to pay transport costs as well as dealing with wholesalers in India. Today she can go online and buy directly from the factory in India.

Sure, there may be tax and tariffs -the financial equivalent to a wall- but it doesn’t stop the trade.

And all that brings me to another thought. As a Christian, I hold in my hands the Book of Life. When people read the Bible, lives change. There’s power in the words. It’s God speaking with lives changed as a result.

I love that we no longer have to smuggle Bible’s into China. Even if Bible’s were banned, they’d still get through – thanks to the Internet. Electronic versions -legally and illegally- get through any barriers that nations and ideologies may care to put in its way.

I love that in Iran, a nation that outwardly prohibits Christian conversion, there’s one of the biggest Christian revivals taking place right now. 

I love that one of the major celebrities of our age has found a faith in Christ and is reading his Bible every night before he sleeps. There’s power in God’s Word.

I love that in our own family we are spread around the world. Our oldest son and daughter in law are in China. Our youngest daughter and son in law are in Africa. Our ‘adopted daughter’ and husband are in New Zealand. Our sponsored child is in Ghana. I can -and do- travel globally and find Christian friends and family wherever I go.

We live globally. We trade globally. And we share our faith globally. God does not recognise geography, politics or ideologies. I’m part of the biggest family in the world – one that transcends every barrier.

In Tribute to the Sailing Ship

For as long as I can remember, I have loved sailing ships. I know where it came from – my Dad.

I remember as a kid being fascinated by the intricacies of a model of HMS Victory my Dad had made – the sails, the netting, the ropes. All in the right place. And the miniature cannons – an obvious attraction to a youngster!

Dad had always loved sailing ships despite neither of us having any nautical background. He read to me and my sister as a kid. One of the books, Two Years Before the Mast, made an impression on me. It introduced me to the genre and it wasn’t long before I had discovered Hornblower.

The great delight of being a young teenager and reading the Hornblower novels by C S Forester, was that they start with Hornblower at about that age in his Midshipman days. I was hooked, reading right through the stories within a couple of years.

Other naval books followed, such as Alexander Kent’s Bolitho stories. And along the way I got to collect thematic stamps from around the world with pictures of ships on.

Then came Patrick O’Brian. This is a totally different class of seafaring novel. It’s C S Forester meets Jane Austen. The books are incredibly well researched and brilliantly written. They are as much to do with the main characters as to do with ships and battles – and they really do read like Jane Austen at sea. With 20 or so books in the series, there’s plenty to go at.

I’ve never been on a real seafaring sail ship. But thanks to my Dad, I have been around the world and back. I’ve discovered countries, fought battles, dealt with scurvy, shinned down the mainmast and lived with the wide horizons of the seas.

Maybe that is why I’m so attracted to the poem attributed to Sir Francis Drake. Here it is – and I pray you too will set sail, and losing sight of the land, will see the stars.

Disturb us, Lord, when

We are too pleased with ourselves,

When our dreams have come true

Because we dreamed too little,

When we arrived safely

Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when

With the abundance of things we possess

We have lost our thirst

For the waters of life;

Having fallen in love with life,

We have ceased to dream of eternity

And in our efforts to build a new earth,

We have allowed our vision

Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,

To venture on wilder seas

Where storms will show Your mastery;

Where losing sight of land,

We shall find the stars.

We ask you to push back

The horizons of our hopes;

And to push back the future

In strength, courage, hope, and love.

He also made the stars.....

If the Bible has a throwaway line, it has to be this:

'He also made the stars.'

It's in Genesis chapter one, amidst verses that describe God's creation. There's a lot about light and sun and sea and land and trees and birds... and in the middle, in verse sixteen.... he also made the stars.

What does this actually mean? When I travel to New York from London, it takes me seven hours at 500 miles per hour. If I travelled at the same speed to the moon, it would take me three weeks. At the same speed to the sun? Twenty-one years. The edge of the Solar System? 900 years. The furthest reaches of space.... That would take me, travelling at 500 miles per hour, around twenty quadrillion years. (That's a 20 with 15 noughts after it!)

How amazing that a God that does 'big', also does 'small' and cares for me!

Here's a video that gives you some idea of the immensity of space- and how small we are in comparison.

He also made the stars.

(There's more on this in my book God-Life: chapter 4)

 

The Pages are Rustling with Adventure (2)

Again, to misquote C S Lewis, the pages are once more rustling with adventure. I will be writing my daily journal in a different country and continent for the next two weeks as I take a team out to Kolkata for a week, and then another team to Hyderabad for a week.

Working with local churches, there will be much to do- children's fun days, visiting sponsored children, teaching pastors, reaching out to communities. Lot's to do. Lot's to write. Lot's of life to celebrate.

The Bible says 'I can do all things through Him who strengthens me'. (Philippians 4: 13).

REPOST: Restore a Town, Transform a Nation

ON THE DAY WE TRAVEL TO BULEMBU, HERE'S A RE-POST FROM JULY 2011  TO TELL YOU WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT AND WHY IT'S WORTH IT.....

You drive for 5 hours from Johannesburg, through the mountains and over the Swaziland border. What greets you is quite breathtaking. Bulembu is an old mining town. When the mines closed nearly ten years ago, the 10,000 population moved out. Bulembu became a ghost town. Until someone had a vision of what could be.

Today a Christian trust owns the whole town. All 4,000 acres. The population is back to 2,000. There are successful industries in wood production, water bottling, honey production, a bakery, a dairy, successful tourism. All from nothing.

Most of all, there are 200 orphans saved. Bulembu has become a centre for rescued children. With the worst HIV rate in the world at around 40%, and an average age expectancy of just over 30, Swaziland is slowly dying. Children die daily. Bulembu is changing the statistics.

Their aim is to be a sustainable community for 2000 children by 2020. Their shirts carry the slogan ‘experience transformation’. And they are. In restoring a town, they are transforming a nation.

Two Giant Steps

Most of our journey through life is made in small steps. What the writer Eugene Peterson calls ‘A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.’ A coffee here, a meal there. A conversation one day, a car journey the next. Small integral parts of life’s direction.

Occasionally, a giant step comes along. For us two have come at once.

The first is the start of KingsGate Community Church Leicester. Our first (amazing!) meeting was last night. As someone who had spoken often of the possibility of KingsGate planting a new church into Leicester, it is the realisation of a dream. And a giant step.

The other giant step comes as we drop our youngest child, Lois, off at Heathrow later today, as she starts her long obedience in the same direction. She is travelling out to Bulembu in Swaziland to serve as a long term missionary. For us, it means an empty house for the first time, with the other three children having already moved away.

Two giant steps. Two key moments in our lives. And fuel for the journey as we continue our own long obedience.

On the Edge of Adventure

I’ve travelled quite a lot with my job. And I’ve led a good few mission trips. But it’s always the same, the day before you travel.

It seems unreal. Everything in you is waiting for the alarm to go off, for the drive to the airport, for the flight to take off….

This week I travel with a team of 10 to Slovakia, working with local churches there. It’s not real yet, but in a few hours it will be. New places. New friends. New challenges. On the edge of a new adventure.

Cast Your Cares....

A new survey out today highlights the happiest and most unhappy places in the UK.

It seems that contentment does not come with riches but with simplicity. The Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland are the places to live for a happy and worthwhile life. Such out-of-the-way places point to the simple enjoyment of the outdoors, amazing scenery and a lifestyle unencumbered by over reliance on modern appliances, supermarkets, television and speed of travel.

In the same article, my own city of Peterborough sadly topped the poll for being the most anxious. Not all of the city is like that though. Come along to KingsGate Church where on an average Sunday you will find around 1,800 people who would not in the least fit into that ‘anxious’ image. With 58 different nations represented and a number of different church services to choose from, this is Positive Peterborough.

And the reason for the lack of anxiety? We know where to ‘cast our cares’!

Air New Zealand and The Hobbit

If all safety video's were like this we'd all pay more attention! One of the highlights of our trip!

 

REPOST: Bulembu

Following our Missions evening this week, this is a REPOST of RESTORE A TOWN. TRANSFORM A NATION from July 2011. We will be sending our first KingsGate team there this November!


You drive for 5 hours from Johannesburg, through the mountains and over the Swaziland border. What greets you is quite breathtaking. Bulembu is an old mining town. When the mines closed nearly ten years ago, the 10,000 population moved out. Bulembu became a ghost town. Until someone had a vision of what could be.

Today a Christian trust owns the whole town. All 4,000 acres. The population is back to 2,000. There are successful industries in wood production, water bottling, honey production, a bakery, a dairy, successful tourism. All from nothing.

Most of all, there are 200 orphans saved. Bulembu has become a centre for rescued children. With the worst HIV rate in the world at around 40%, and an average age expectancy of just over 30, Swaziland is slowly dying. Children die daily. Bulembu is changing the statistics.
Their aim is to be a sustainable community for 2000 children by 2020. Their shirts carry the slogan ‘experience transformation’. And they are. In restoring a town, they are transforming a nation.

Roller Coasters

I remember taking Lois on the roller-coaster. I didn’t want to go, but Lois, aged about seven at the time, would have none of it! It was okay. In fact I quite enjoyed it. The initial fear was replaced by mild apprehension which turned into a pleasurable ride.

That’s how I feel right now on the eve of another trip to India. This time for three weeks in three different places. There is always some apprehension- a very different country, the responsibility of leading three teams, safety on the roads, and so on…

But I’m pretty sure all that will change as I get off the plane at Hyderabad. The sights and smells will bring back a flood of memories, all of them good.

And so the ride begins….

Fried Brains, Warm Friendships

Having completed my introductory weeks at Mattersey Hall for the Masters in Theology, I must admit to a case of ‘fried brains’! There’s a whole different world out there! The level and excellence of thinking from the lecturers is almost too much for someone that hasn’t studied in about 30 years. But along with the fried brains, there were many warm friendships. It is so good to met others that seem as crazy as me, paying someone to put you through mental torture!

More warm friendships on the way… In a week I will be in India again, for three weeks this time. It will be good to renew old friendships and continue to help with the Esther girls and medical camps. The teams are ready…. different people over the three weeks. So lots of warm friendships and some warm weather too!

Restore a Town. Transform a Nation.

You drive for 5 hours from Johannesburg, through the mountains and over the Swaziland border. What greets you is quite breathtaking. Bulembu is an old mining town. When the mines closed nearly ten years ago, the 10,000 population moved out. Bulembu became a ghost town. Until someone had a vision of what could be.

Today a Christian trust owns the whole town. All 4,000 acres. The population is back to 2,000. There are successful industries in wood production, water bottling, honey production, a bakery, a dairy, successful tourism. All from nothing.

Most of all, there are 200 orphans saved. Bulembu has become a centre for rescued children. With the worst HIV rate in the world at around 40%, and an average age expectancy of just over 30, Swaziland is slowly dying. Children die daily. Bulembu is changing the statistics.

Their aim is to be a sustainable community for 2000 children by 2020. Their shirts carry the slogan ‘experience transformation’. And they are. In restoring a town, they are transforming a nation.

Just Been Volcanoed.....

Has this ash cloud got it in for me or what?

I was in Dublin last week for a pensions meeting. By the time it finished…. no planes, due to the ash cloud…. again. Having already been stranded in Cape Town for a week, it was getting a bit repetitive. Not that I got any sympathy from workmates. They just laughed!

This time, I escaped by ferry to Hollyhead. From there, after a short stay in a B&B, on to the Euston train the next morning, and finally home.

Remember those TV adds for Tango? This big orange bloke used to come up behind a poor unsuspecting lad (called Ralph, no less!) and slap him around the face to the announcement that he’d ‘ just been tangoed’.

Well this Ralph is a bit fed up of just being ‘volcanoed’, and is planning not to travel too far from home!

Captive in Cape Town

Remember 'Sleepless in Seattle'? Well, Roh and I are creating a new epic- 'Captive in Cape Town'. We were due home yesterday after meeting our daughter in Cape Town this last week. But the volcano ash has beaten us and the next guaranteed flight is 13 days later.

Cape Town is a captivating place. We were moved by what we saw on Robben Island, we were charmed by the friendliness of the wine estates and we were excited by the worship of the local Hillsongs congregation.

But now we are captive against our will.

I remember being stuck in a hurricane in Orlando, and lost without a visa in Hong Kong, but being captive in Cape Town is entirely new!

Feast

I’ve just been looking at a few of our photos from our September holiday in Wales. The sun shone- somewhat unusual for Wales!

One day we were out in the hills, when a lady walked past. As we were looking out on the beautiful landscape, she said: ‘Spiritual food for the soul. Feast.’ And then she was gone.

And it was. Spiritual food that is. So beautiful. We discovered a hidden lake, high up in the hills. And we had the most amazing views of Cadaer Idris.





So here’s the question. Are you feeding your soul with spiritual food? For those with a Christian faith, how much dust is on your bible? For those that don’t believe or are not sure, when was the last time you sat down and looked at the hills of Snowdonia? Or the Lakes? Or the Downs? Or the Peak District? Or maybe just a walk in the local park?

Feast.

Stand By Me Around the World

Thanks to Chris Kelly for sending this my way.....

"No matter who you are, no matter where you go in your life, at some point you gonna need somebody to stand by you....."

The Customer Gets Even

British Gas owes me £186. They say it’s their service contractor Siemens that need to pay. Siemens say it’s British Gas. Over a year later, I am no nearer getting anywhere. For all those that feel they can never win against the big corporations, here’s a story to warm the heart….

Dave Carroll is a singer with the band Sons of Maxwell. He actually saw United Airlines employees throwing his guitar around. Needless to say, it was broken when he got to the other end of the flight. United Airlines refused to listen. A year later they still wouldn’t pay up. So Dave Carroll wrote a song and posted it on You Tube. To date it has had over four million hits. The story has featured in newspapers around the world and has headlined on tv news in the States. Rather late in the day, United Airlines decided to apologise….

Now, anyone want to write a song about British Gas?!

Here’s ‘United Breaks Guitars’ by Dave Carroll:

Slumdog Marley and Salmon in the Yemen

I’ve been travelling a lot recently. Both in the UK and to India, the States and the Netherlands. It’s a bit tiring and not as glamorous as it might sound. Airports and hotels begin to look much the same after a while!

But one of the advantages of travel is time to catch up on music, films and books. Slumdog Millionaire is a wonderful film. Its portrayal of the poor parts of India is very accurate. But most of all it’s simply a triumph of one poor boy against the system. And a great love story too.

‘Marley and me’ is a film we went to see as a family. I was a bit fearful that it would turn out to be a ‘Disney puppy story’ but the producer has been true to the original book (excellent too- by John Grogan) and it’s well acted. A bit near to the bone (excuse the pun!) as we lost our own Labrador just before Christmas.

You can see why Kate Winslet won the Oscar for ‘The Reader’. Beautifully acted. A fair bit of nudity though- you have been warned!

John Waller is a singer that my friends Holli and Andy introduced me to. Great lyrics. Sometimes you feel you are not where God would have you be. But what do you do with that time? Waller’s song ‘While I’m Waiting’ is a great response to such times:

I’m waiting on you Lord
And I’m hopeful
I’m waiting on you Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I’m waiting
I will serve you
While I’m waiting
I will worship
While I’m waiting
I will not faint
I’ll be running the race
Even while I wait.

John Maxwell writes great business books. His latest, ‘Leadership Gold – Lessons I’ve Learned from a Lifetime of Leadership’ is the best yet. He refused to write it until he reached age 60. Great wisdom.

And a wonderful first novel from Paul Torday. If you think Salmon in the Yemen are an impossibility, you have to read the book!

God's amazing creation

I’ve just finished reading Bill Bryson’s ‘Down Under’. As always, an excellent read.

What captured me most was the amazing creation to be found in Australia. If these things were anywhere else in the world, they would be considered as ‘wonders of the world’. But because they are tucked away in the western outback and part of the country at the end of the world, they get overlooked.

Consider for example, the banded beehive rocks of the Bungle Bungles. A range of strangely shaped rocks, only discovered in the 1980s and thought to be 350 million years old. They look incredible.

That 50 square miles of a rocky mountain range was discovered after we brought back rocks from the moon and shows how little we really know of the world we live in.



Then there’s the Pinnacle Desert, thousands of limestone pillars - believed to be at least 6,000 years old - rising up to 12 feet tall from the shifting yellow sands.

And the Karri Trees, third tallest in the world, with their 50 foot girth, giant trees from an earlier age.

We live in a remarkable world.