A Prince Has Fallen!

We got some sad news that a "Prince has fallen." Dean Curtis is one of this worlds true princes and was finally taken home on Christmas Day. Fenella's heart has been breaking for Glenave and the family. Dean and Glenave have always occupied a special place in our families heart. They were our spiritual parents while we stayed in Searcy, AR. Dean was a man of faith and a genuine servant. We feel the distance at this time and Fenella especially misses being able to be a support in person for Glenave.

We had JR and Daisha Sheets stay the weekend just before Christmas and it was an absolute joy! They are a beautiful couple and although we didn't have the privilege of meeting Naomi and Gideon I can tell as a family they are precious. We know Daisha really well, but had never met JR. I must say that his heart and desire for the kingdom is infectious. It is always a joy to be around someone who has obviously been "called" to ministry. We had a few talks and even managed to squeeze in a game of table tennis, and I must say he was a very worthy opponent. Their time with us just went so fast though. We saw enough of them together to know that our families will be friends for life and where ever God wills for their family to minister they will for sure be a source of blessing.

It has been so fine just unwinding and enjoying being at home with my girls. I'm sure there are lots of things I should probably be telling you all about, but the truth is I can't remember the half of them. We had a fantastic Christmas day and rather than the usual rush, rush, rush things were remarkably calm and even paced. The girls got up at 8.30 to see if Santa had been and as ever there was a moment of pure priceless joy when they opened the living room door and saw their gifts. We now have a Wii. We have had so much fun these past days and everyone is setting records for the other to try and beat with the "Fit" game. I am the skiing slalom and jumping champ! Anyway it is good fun.

We received the news that Alex Swango will definitely be with us to help in ministering with the church here in Peterhead! We are looking forward to his arrival in February and can't wait to see the direction God will take his abilities and gifts. Alex has been over on numerous campaigns with the Harding University and has always proved to be an asset to the work of the church. We ask for your prayers that the changes Alex will experience coming to stay in Peterhead will go smoothly and that all of us have the wisdom and insight to put Alex to good use. With this in mind 2009 looks like it will get of to a flyer!

God bless!

Thick and Fast!

The past week has been magic! I can hardly remember what all I have done and been involved with, but I know it is all good. I can start back on Sunday for our Sunday School prize giving. I taught a lesson especially for the little ones and after we present the children who have been coming on Sunday's with a book. It is always a joy to teach the little ones and we had them sit on the front row so that I could focus on them and interact some with them - they were precious! Nina Cowie teaches the little ones on Sunday's and had chosen the books they received and I chose to give the older girls in my class journals and made the point that our walk with Christ is a daily one and their journal's had daily thoughts and inspiring words to help them focus each day.


On Monday night was our Primary school age Party! What a blast that was. The time came and went in no time at all. We played some cool games and had so much fun together, the kids favorite game this time was a re-vamped "Chocolate Game" where the kids have to roll a six and in pairs come and tear into a huge bar of chocolate with a fork and knife, but this time one had to stand at the front while their partner had to be their arms standing behind them - what a laugh! We did the awards from class and handed out the MVP's and we got special chocolate Santa's, reindeer and snowmen with their names piped on. That was a big hit and something neat to put under the Christmas tree. It was the perfect end to the year for the younger ones and everyone left with happy faces!

On the Tuesday night Angie and I took a group of our teens out for the night into Aberdeen. It was a great night and had the right balance of activity, social and chill time. We started out at Laser Tag and had fun running around trying to disable as many of us as we could. The printout revealed that Jessica was the top gun! This made everyone a bit suspicious since Jessica is not the most "Gung Ho" kind of girl. Anyway, it gave us guys plenty to talk about as we tried to reason what could have gone wrong and why we were beaten by a girl. We had a great time in Pizza Hut and enjoyed talking and enjoying the company. After pizza we went to the movies and got home around 10.30 that evening. I was so delighted with the group there was never a time when I was stressed or needed to be the "Big Bad Wolf." In fact there was nothing but good time and I dot a massive sense that this group are well gelled together and do really enjoy each others company! It made me think of Church and helped me realise again that relationships are the fundamental key to a healthy church. I got home late, but very at peace knowing that some things are coming together well.

Last night I made a change to our normal class schedule in favour of going to hear Amy and Beth at their Christmas concert. I am sooo glad I did. The performances were great and especially the ones my girls had a part in. Beth was hardly off the stage with her role in the various choirs and orchestra groups. It is a joy to see Beth play he oboe and sing so beautifully! Amy kinda stole the show and in spite of having a sore throat went on to give an amazing solo piece from Handel's Messiah, this is posted on my previous blog. It is hard to put into words the pride Fenella and I feel when we hear Amy perform. We are always surrounded by people after the concerts telling us how much they enjoyed Amy's voice. One lady talked to Fenella and was in tears, having been touched by Amy's singing. We are glad that Amy can rest a bit now since the past weeks have pretty much brought her to her knees.

Today (Friday) I had the best morning in a long time and one I will remember always. I was asked to speak at the Central school Christmas Service. I had been looking forward to this morning for a wee while now and was excited about the message and the gift I had put together for the children. I talked about the "Candy Cane" and the way it represents the Christmas message of Jesus. The response was great and I know the message will be remembered. I asked the head teacher if I could give the kids a bookmark with the story and a candy cane stuck to it to remind them about the message - he said that would be lovely! After the service I felt like Santa going from class to class giving the children their gift. They were so excited and thankful. The teachers were delighted too, I made sure they got one too! In all I think this has been one of the most powerful planting sessions I have been blessed with.

Tonight I will have the last teen class for the year and this will be the last class of the year for the young people. I must confess that I am ready to have a rest from the constant preparation and thought process that goes into trying to be consistent and relevant to this younger generation. It is a joy, but I am ready for some rest.


Take care and God bless!

Heart Warmer

We have not long came home from being at Amy and Beth's school Christmas Concert. It was amazing and has put us all right into the Christmas spirit. Fenella and I are so proud of our girls and their musical ability. The video I have uploaded is Amy singing a peice from Handel's Messiah, "He shall feed His flock." Hope you enjoy it. Amy was feeling poorly with a sore throat and flu, but was still magic.

Take care and God bless!

Don't you just love December!

The title is kind of a love/hate thing. December is a fantastic time of year, but at the same time we tend to be a little more tightly wound and stressed out. I have a few things to cram into this blog and I have to admit that I am a lot less stressed than I imagined I would be at this stage. After the pain and elation with Connor last weekend, this week has flown in. I think last weekend made many of us stop and put things into perspective. I know that I have been a lot more focused on God and His power this week as a result. I have been able to express my joy in the Lord on many occasions and tell of God's power in the life of Connor. One encouraging time was when Fenella and I were in Simpson's having our Wednesday morning "Date" over a cup of tea. We got talking to Carrol, the owner, and it wasn't long before we were sharing experiences about how we have seen God's power at work in peoples lives. We came away from Simpson's encouraged and blessed. I have to say that Carrol is a gem!

I have commented these past few blogs on the overall health in our youth group and I can only express more of the same. Last week we had a magic bunch of classes. Monday night with the younger kids was a blessing! When I was getting all the register and points tables up to date I couldn't help but notice the faithfulness of the children. This term I have seen more consistency over the past 10 weeks than at any other time. I am delighted that the kids are faithfully coming. We took the group to the panto last night to see "Snow White." It was amazing! The kids were great and had a blast. You have to experience panto over here! Amy was Snow White which added a whole new dimension to our involvement. There was no doubt that we took the performers by storm. We were by far the most expressive bunch there and the kids were on top form. Just to let you know, panto is all about getting the audience behind the actors. When the villain enters - everyone boos, but when the princess enters - everyone cheers. There is a lot of interaction between cast and audience. Fenella pretty much lost her voice from shouting and screaming for Amy. No better cause for a sore throat! Amy was brilliant, by the way! I was totally proud and a little protective, especially when she was dancing across the stage with Prince Charming. I called out just before "The Kiss" for the Prince to "Ca Canny" (be careful). MAGIC!! We had a group of 32 there, 22 kids, 4 teen helpers and 6 adult supervisors.

On Saturday night we put on a meal for the over 60's in church. The night was frantic, but fantastic! The frantic part was of course the preparation and the getting everything out at the right time. The fantastic was the contentment felt by all after the night was over. The meal was a full 5 course deal! Fenella contributed an amazing "Sticky Toffee Pudding" and I made a pot of Cream of Chicken soup. I was responsible for the entertainment and this year we enlisted the help of some Highland Dancers, some musicians and a game from the past. The dancers were great and being my cousins girls meant we had a bit of fun in between. C.J. and Megan played "Silent Night" on the flute and Holly, Hannah and Beth played "Jingle Bells" on the fiddles. All this certainly got a warm reception from the audience. We played a Scottish version of "Call My Bluff" to wind things up. I enlisted the help of Ali, Donald and Shonie to be the panel of experts. What a laugh! They each gave a definition of a Scots word and everyone had to guess what one was correct. The three men were brilliant and made the night! There were happy faces all round and the following morning at worship the conversation was all about the night before.

It was Holly and Hannah's birthday on Thursday - they are now 8 years old! Can't believe it! They each had a cake and we celebrated round the table for a while. It was at the weekend though, that we spent the day doing what they had chosen. We went through to Aberdeen to "Build a Bear." Holly was desperate to go there and the two of them had fun choosing their toys to be stuffed and dressed as they desired. Holly chose a white teddy bear and Hannah chose a Zebra. After building their bears we went for supper and then to a movie, "Madagascar 2." It was a great family day and certainly a memorable day for the birthday girls.

Amy and Beth were playing a concert on the Friday night through in Fraserburgh. As always the standard was excellent and they sounded amazing. Fenella and I often comment on how fortunate we are that Amy and Beth are a part of something that bring the best out of them and listening to them perform with the concert band is brilliant! We were back in Fraserburgh on the Saturday morning again to hear Beth play in the Junior concert band. She was great and the whole concert was a big hit.

We continue to be thankful for Connor's healing! The news from George and Donna continues to be be great and gives us reason for Thanksgiving! We certainly have reason to be Strong, after a while of being weak! God is Great! My mum and dad have been enjoying a time with George and Donna and will return home on Wednesday, so we are excited for them to get back home to find all the latest news and share in the joy.

I have not even mentioned Thursday night or Wednesday night or my school ministries this time, but God is good and things continue to inspire hope that God's Spirit is active here and that His Word is living and active. I ask for your continued prayers as we continue to plant the precious seeds in the hearts of many.

God bless!

Rejoice x 2!!

When God is involved there is no limits!

This has been one of the hardest weeks and one of the most joyous weeks ever for our family. From getting the devastating news about Connor early on Friday morning, which had all of us on our knees continually before God, to getting the miraculous news of Connors recovery on Sunday afternoon.

What a day Sunday was! I had to preach Sunday morning and told the congregation that the lesson I had began preparing earlier in the week was put on hold, but that I simply wanted to speak from the heart about the events of the weekend. It was hard, but I was able to encourage everyone by showing them how amazing God has been as we struggled along with George and Donna. I shared about the comfort we got from knowing that George and Donna were surrounded by church family and overwhelmed with care and love. I was able to share our weakness and total dependence on God, knowing He was EVERYTHING. It was a very emotional morning, but in everything it was obvious that God was working, not only in the life of Connor, but on the heart of Elaine, my niece. Just after church I had been taking communion to a couple of dear ladies who can't get out much and upon returning home was met with the amazing news that Elaine wanted to commit her life to Christ. WOW! We have been praying for this time to come for quite a while now and if ever there was an unexpected joy - this was it. However, reflecting on the time we had been going through as a family it makes perfect sense. I ran up to the building to fill the baptistery and met my dad there. We were both speechless, but our faces told the same story of joy! That night Elaine was baptized into Christ and is now enjoying the peace and joy that comes as a child of God's.

Amidst all this I needed to get through to George, so that we could share the good news about Elaine's decision, but couldn't get through to him. I spent a while being passed from floor to floor at the hospital until I finally heard the familiar sound of George's, just woken up, voice! My first question was how the night had gone, because we were still grieved thinking Connor was still struggling, but to my shock George went on to tell me about Connor being up and walking around and talking as normal! I had to catch my breath as George was talking, because this was huge! I didn't think my heart could contain so much joy at one time - having the news about Elaine to share and now being met with this amazing news from George! To say he was happy at Elaine's decision is an understatement.

I left the house to check the baptistery and handed the phone to Fenella. Fenella told me later about her conversation with Donna and I feel I must share some of this with you all, because it is simply beautiful. When they had been talking about Elaine, Donna made the statement that she would go through the agony of the past days again knowing that a life had been saved as a result! She also shared with Fenella that when things were at their most trying and Connor was really struggling, she told Satan that even if she lost her beautiful son, she would not loose her faith in God. This is FAITH of the most excellent sort!!! I am blessed and inspired to have this "Tree of Life."

This morning I drove my mum and dad through to the airport. They will be with George and Donna later today - God willing. I know this will be a meeting of great joy!

God IS!

Pray for Connor

I need to ask you all to pray. My nephew, Connor, George and Donna's son was airlifted to hospital early this morning. He has a serious head injury and is in a coma. We are all devastated and feel absolutely powerless. This is why I am requesting your prayers. It is our Father who gives strength and healing and being so far from my brother I know my part in all this is to be prayerful and invite all who keep up with this blog to unite with us in bringing little Connor to the throne of God.

I was able to talk with George for a little bit this morning when I was with my mum and dad. My heart was breaking inside as we talked, I would have given anything to have been right there with him to share the pain and sit throughout the torment of the waiting for the next set of test results. At times like this the one thing we hold to is our dependence on God. We may be separated by many miles, but I know that Connor is in my heart and thoughts and that God is our Father.

It is a comfort to us here so far away to know that George and Donna have an amazing church family who are there for them at this time - thank you all!

God bless!

Monday Night Photo's

Photo's - Prayer time on Monday night, Robert and Cate from Romania, Dylan (especially for Chrissy) and Lewis - the birthday boy!

Playing Catchup!

I have struggled to find the time to update my blog and as a result I am trying frantically to remember the events of the past week. The week has definitely been an up and down one. I have to say that I am continually thrilled at the attendance and the amount of kids we are having at the classes - the evidence shows we are on the right track again. The kids love being with us and they are telling their friends to come. One dilemma we are having just now is a shortage of "Panto" tickets. We take the primary school age kids to the panto each year at Christmas time and we went ahead and bought 32 tickets, thinking that would be ample, but we have already received enough permission slips in to suggest we are short! This is a great dilemma to have. I went down this morning to see if I could purchase some more and was only able to buy one - the last ticket for the show!

The Monday night class is great and the atmosphere is 1st class. It has taken a wee while to get to where we now are, since the 2 month break I was in America, but now things are settled and healthy. One great unfolding story is of Cate and Robert, who are a brother and sister from Romania. They came again this week for the second week running and are obviously enjoying the class. Their story is a tough one and the reality of it all is that we are compelled to go the extra mile for them. They are a lovely pair and to see a smile break from Cate's face is priceless! She has not had much to smile about over the past months and to see her confidence and joy lift is a blessing. Please keep Cate and Robert in your thoughts and prayers. Pray that they feel safe and loved amongst us and that they have increasing reason to smile.

It is a joy to see the Wednesday night class increase in numbers again. There was a spell there when I was concerned, but I think we have turned a corner and are seeing a consistent group desiring to be with us for a more focused class time. Last Wednesday we were delighted to have Lewis share his birthday cake with the class! He turned 10 and had told me he wanted to have some time with his mum and family and then to be with all of us at church too. As I am writing this a flood of faces have came to my mind and I wish I could list them all and share our joy with you, but it's not possible. I hope you can all sense that God is certainly active and many are being blessed through the classes and the great group of helpers we have.

The past two Thursday night's have been excellent. The group is a good size and are really enjoying the class and the atmosphere. It was especially good to see Dean there on Thursday. His past few months have been tough and it was a joy to see him and to encourage him. Michael Campbell and Phillip Lemon "AKA - Juice - o" were there for the first in a while and again it was magic to see them. They are 18 now and it thrills me to know they still desire to be with us on Thursday's. We had a fine bunch of girls arrive at 8.00 and it is especially nice to see Beth's friend Leah come back for a second time - she must like it! We played a game from camp called "Electric Chair" which is a great ice breaker and get everyone together kinda game. It was so much fun, but in the end we had to stop when the 2 boys left got a bit carried away and Andrew got a bump in the proceed. I saw Andrew today and he proudly showed off his "Keeker" (black eye). The truth is I love Thursday night and I feel totally at ease in that age group.

Well, I have to comment some on my school activities! This past week I have had 5 assemblies and have had a blast with the children! I am sooooooo blessed!! This continues to be one of my "trees of life." I see what is accomplished when there is opportunity to stand before the sea of children and can't help seeing God. There is no denying His hand in all of this. When times are tough this is without doubt one of my "Trees" that I go to for reassurance that this is my purpose in the kingdom. As well as the assemblies I have my regular sports focused clubs with the schools too and in the same vein, I can't escape the fact that the influence I have with so many children is further cause to be amazed by God. As I write this I am reminded of the vastness of my opportunity and pray that I am making the most of it. Keep this in your thoughts and prayers that I might continue to be the salt and light needed.

I mentioned there were some downs this week. On Friday I got home from one of the schools and noticed a message on the phone. The message was form Maureen Keeble, who is an outstanding woman and true servant in the church and especially in the community. Maureen was phoning in distress because her husband has just passed away that morning. I went round straight away and was totally overwhelmed. The family were distraught and I couldn't find words. Maureen is someone I admire greatly for she has a heart and love for the lost and the downcast. I sat and listened as she shared her pain and as Shaun and Steph, her grandchildren came into the room my heart was breaking to see their tears. All I could find to do was hug them. I visited again on Monday morning. I told Maureen I had wanted to pray with them at my last visit, but the opportunity didn't afford itself. It was a joy to visit and good to be with Maureen's mum and her son, James and his wife Shona. I am thankful for the second visit and especially to have opportunity to lead prayer and ask for God's help and comfort. The funeral is tomorrow.

I am sharing all this so that you all can share in our ministry. We all need to know that there are prayers being petitioned before the Father on our behalf.

Joy!

I am hugely encouraged!!!

These past days, although my health has been a bit down, I have had the best week! I went on the trip with the P7's to the WW2 museum and had a fantastic time with the kids. It was really neat to get to know Mr McKenzie the P7 teacher who just found out on Friday that he has a permanent post with the school after subbing for the past term. I also got to know Mrs Walker, one of the school auxiliary teachers better. I am blessed big time because of the relationship I have with Central School! On Thursday I was there for the girls football coaching and to my surprise we had 3 new girls turn up. It was fantastic to welcome the girls and to get to know them a bit better. I was back in again for two events on the Friday. At lunchtime I had ball games with the P4-6's and had a brilliant time. It seems that all the primary's want a lunchtime slot, but I can only commit to 2, so we have to rotate the primary's and make sure they all get a turn. Just after lunch time I took their assembly. It was a good one and the kids were great. I have the coolest bond with the kids at Central and it is expressed powerfully at assembly times - this also gives me great hope and faith that God's Spirit continues to work in me to bless the school. Right after the assembly I had to rush over to Anna Ritchie school for my time with the boys there. My Friday afternoons here are still one of my treasures. The group were amazing and the amount of happiness and joy that was evident during our hour together is truly staggering. I love being able to encourage and get the best out of the group and the truth is they know how to get the best out of me too. My team lost 9-1, which was a record defeat and in spite of the score the boys just loved the game. There was an Australian teacher, who was visiting the school and asked if he could observe our football - of course I said yes. It was not long before he jumped in and became a part of the game, it was obvious he found the atmosphere contagious and "Cowboy boots and all" he got into the match, but failed to help our struggling side. Calum, was on fire today. He scored 7 of the teams 9 goals and made sure I came in to tell his teacher and class all about his achievements during the match.

When I got home on Friday supper time, I was physically exhausted and had to go to bed at 5pm! I slept for 2 hours. Fenella was shocked because that is something I never do. I had simply done too much and my ailing body was making sure I got the message.

I have to mention our teen class on Thursday night! I was commenting tonight in conversation with John Campbell, who has missed the last 4/5 weeks classes due to fishing, that I am delighted to see the class back to where it was as far a numbers. The night was one that made me stop and take note. I think it was because I was still weak as a result of being poorly, but because I was taking things slower than normal I was spending more time on a one to one with the teens and not as much with groups. I loved it! Especially when the girls arrived at 8.00pm. We played a lot of card games, which lends nicely to talking. I was able to encourage and mentor a lot more than I would have normally. I have learned a big lesson this week and will be taking things slower on Thursday night's, in order to more attentive to the teens needs.

One last thing. Tonight we had our 3rd Sunday thing. It was such a blessing! Everything was right. The audience was full, over 50, which continues to encourage us greatly. Especially considering the visitors that we had. Inviting people to come to our 3rd Sunday is so easy for me. I have a strong desire and drive to invite, which had previously been absent. I can't express how thrilling it is to see the evidence that "change" can make a difference. John got in from sea last night and was glad to be leading singing and welcoming everyone. He has a desire to see the church grow this is obvious and comes across in the way he communicates with the audience. Tonight I preached on 'Confession.' The inspiration was from a Harding Chapel which involved "Cardboard Confessions." Showing how God changes lives from brokenness to healing. As in the past, the response was very good. I talked to all the visitors and the response was that the Word had been active. Everyone stayed behind and fellowshiped for a while over a cup of tea. It is so good to see everyone encouraged and encouraging!

I am joy filled as I write this and hope it comes across in my comments!

God bless.

Moved by the music

We had a fantastic weekend in Glasgow! Amy was amazing. It's not as though we could pick out her voice in the 200+ strong choir, but for Amy to be a part of something so beautiful and overwhelmingly great - is a joy! The concert, "The Armed Man" was from start to finish powerful. The choir were amazing and the orchestra, equally so. I worried before going into the concert that I would struggle to stay with the program, as I have not quite fully developed my "Classical" ear (in other words - I used to thing all this kind of music was rubbish). However, I was moved by the beauty of the music and the words of the piece. Like I said, I can't believe that Amy is a part of something this outstanding. It makes my heart glad that Amy is using her gift to the best of her ability and is certainly blessing many in the process.

While we were in Glasgow and staying with Fenella's cousin in East Kilbride, we decided to worship with the West Mains Church. We always had the desire to visit at some point because some of our dearest friends are there. We enjoyed being with the church and were richly refreshed. I have to mention that Joe McCulloch's part in leading us to the Lord's Table was great! He talked about the "Bin Men" keeping our filthy streets clean and cleaning up after our mess. He made the connection with how God must see us as we constantly drop our "sinful" litter. Joe talked about his passion for keeping his part of Glasgow clean and again talked about our need to be pure. It was my joy to be asked to preach that morning. Thankfully, I had some notes in my bible and after praying for strength and a voice, the message was a blessing and a challenge to the church. It was especially good to see Drew and Sheena Philips - we love them dearly and thank God for their continued example that has been present throughout our lives. It was also magic to see Robert (Drew and Sheena's son). This was the first time we had seen him since he became a Christian. He is looking and doing well! We were also glad to get to know Alex and Gillian Gear a bit better. We haven't had much chance to be around them, but appreciate their ministry in West Mains and their desire for the kingdom is obvious.

We had a good visit with Fenella's cousin, Sylvia and her family, husband Frank, children Francis and Celia. They are a great family and could not have done enough for us! Frank and Sylvia came to the concert with us on the Sunday night and loved it. It was quite funny watching Sylvia get excited over the white puddings and morning rolls that we had brought down from Peterhead. You can't get them in Glasgow and since Sylvia is originally from the Petrehead area from time to time she craves some of our delicacies!

Beth and Jackie deserve a special mention! They were looking after Holly and Hannah while we were down in Glasgow. Alexa was with us for the trip and the concert which meant that Jackie was to be the baby-sitter! I am being a bit dramatic here, but the truth is they did a good job and everything went smoothly, with no problems at all.

It was 2am before we got home after driving the 200 miles back north to Peterhead after the concert. This meant everyone was very tired all day Monday - Amy especially! Fenella and I were able to take it easy in the morning, but it was all work in the afternoon and evening. I had Crimond for football coaching in the afternoon - absolutely loved it! Last night we had our primary school aged class which was also great! We had 18 kids there, which is steadily increasing again. Last night was Cate and Robert's first time to class. They are from Romania and we were thrilled to have them come to class! Fenella's mum and dad have helped their mother a lot over the past months and had invited the children to come to class. Jackie picked them up and dropped them off again after class. I am sure they enjoyed themselves and it was a joy for us to have them. It was also good to have Dylan there again! I am blessed every time I drive round to pick him up for classes.

Well, today I am off with the P7's from Central school to Aberdeen on a field trip. I got a call yesterday from Mr Imlah, the head teacher, asking if I could help out with the trip. I am delighted that my relationship with the school is such that I am given opportunities like this.

God is good!

Playin with the boys

The past few days have been active. On Tuesday night I had organized an outing for the older teenage boys at "Kartstart" in Aberdeen. I must confess that this was something I had wanted to do for the longest time and having the excuse to make a trip of it with the guys was a win - win situation. John Campbell helped out with the transport and has himself a keen interest in driving, so needless to say everyone was pumped up and ready to race. Everyone had their sights on the person they wanted to finish ahead of and of course my sights were on John. Bruce and Andrew Buchan were kinda exempt, because they both race karts and have their own family race team. They were by far the quickest in the qualifying and I picked up 3rd on the grid, which put a huge smile on my face! The race was great fun and 25 laps later I ended up 4th, but more importantly I finished ahead of John! One incident involving Thomas, who went full speed into the barriers after getting an unwelcome nudge from one of his "friends." The race was temporarily stopped to get everything back together and after the race was over we had great fun hearing all the different interpretations of what took place and who did the dirty on who. The time flew and the memories will go with us all. We had so much fun with the guys. There were 9 of racing and afterward we went for a burger and spent time laughing and reliving the race.


They are a great bunch of young men and I consider it a joy to be involved with their lives. Last night I used the Karting event in my lesson and talked about having the right kind of confidence knowing that God is in control. We spoke about over-confidence, arrogance and shyness. After the karting on the Tuesday night on of the guys came and opened up about his new found direction and purpose for life. A couple of years ago he had really struggled with life and had no desire to get up in the mornings. He was telling me that he now is an example for his younger brother who is showing signs of slipping into a similar pattern as he once had fallen into. He took his brother to the class last week and told me that he had not seen him smile so much in ages. I again delight in the atmosphere the guys create on Thursday night. It is such an encouraging time to be a part of. I am thankful to God for the way the class continues to be a blessing to so many and my hope is that seeds will continue to be planted and nurtured over time.


We had a neat class on Wednesday night. When we went through to our class I had a lesson prepared, but we got side tracked and enjoyed looking at past slide shows, allowing everyone to share their memories and good times of past church events. It was great to see them realise that time had passed and that they had so many good memories and times together. The truth is I couldn't have taught and got a better message home that night. I am thankful for times like those.


I must say that my energy levels have been down and I am aware that my confidence is down a bit. The amazing thing is that even in light of this I can see the evidence that God is active. In all the school things I have done this past week, there has been no stress and the kids have been very enthusiastic and involved with the activities. I have been depending on God's help a lot this past week. The truth is that I have been made aware just how often I fail to rely on His strength and go rushing into things thinking "I" have it covered. It's been good to be reminds over again that we have a reserve of power that far outstrips our own feeble resources.

I'm excited about this weekend! We are off to Glasgow to hear Amy perform "The Armed Man" with the National Youth Choir of Scotland. It looks like it will be a very powerful performance as there are around 200 making up the choir and they are to be accompanied by the Scottish National Orchestra. It is amazing that Amy is able to experience and be a part of something so huge.

Till next time - God bless!

Dylan's Back!

Had a great weekend. We had a mixture of things going on. On Sunday Amy and Beth got home from their trip to Norway. They had an amazing time and have not stopped taking about their time over their. The families they were staying with were lovely ad we are in their debt for being so caring toward our girls. We will be able to repay the hospitality later when the Norwegians come to Peterhead and we are looking forward to having them over here. Both Amy and Beth are smitten by the culture and the people of Norway - it's pretty cool that they have had this experience. It is great to have them back around the house - we missed them a lot!


On Saturday we took Holly and Hannah to see the movie "High School Musical 3" which was great, not that the movie was anything special, but because Holly was desperate to see it and for her this was the best thing ever! Holly and Hannah have had a busy weekend and enjoyed dressing up for their school Halloween disco. Hannah was ready in 10 minutes flat and was so delighted with her "Harry Potter" costume, scar and all! Holly on the other hand was a different story. Holly decided she was going as a Greek Goddess! With Fenella at work it was my job to get her looking somewhat like she had in her imagination. Considerably more than 10 minutes later we got it just right - although we still had to nip over to Fenella's work to get Holly's hair done right! Speak about chalk and cheese - that is Holly and Hannah!!!



We had Rex and Debbie Dutton, a visiting speaker from Florida, USA this weekend. He did a good job covering some fundamental truths about the bible, the church, God and Jesus Christ. This made for a refreshing weekend and the mix of fellowship and worship was good.


I want to finish this "blog" with something special! Every now and again something HUGE happens and that's what we experienced this past Thursday/Friday. Not many of you will know Dylan Sutherland, but he is one of the most amazing children I have came across - and believe me I have met many children! I was picking up the older guys on Thursday night when Brian (Dylan's dad) ran across the street to talk to me. Dylan followed just behind. I won't go into details about the family situation, but Dylan had been moved to a town 10 miles away and had been living with foster parents. It was a very rare occasion that we would see Dylan over the past 18 months, but when we did he was always delighted to see us and we would tell him how much we and everyone at church missed him. Well, Brian went on to tell me that Dylan had been moved back to Peterhead and if I went and talked with his new carers he thought Dylan would be allowed to come back to church classes. First thing the next morning I went to where Dylan was now living and knocked on the door. A woman opened the door and I introduced myself as Billy from the church. I was stopped in my tracks as the woman said, "Oh, your Billy! Dylan has told me all about you and how he wants to go back to the classes." We got everything worked out and now tonight (Monday) Dylan will be at classes! We are all thrilled at this news and thank God that Dylan's heart has this great desire to be with us after so long away. Dylan is 9 years old.

I had to share this with you all. There are so many factors that I can't express that make Dylan's story such a special and beautiful one. Please pray that his life continues to express such great joy in times of all the instability and change that continues to go on all around him. I must also tell you all that Chrissy Vick did such an outstanding ministry with Dylan and his family that the seeds she planted continue to bear fruit.


Praise God!

Great Class Tonight

Tonight's class was amazing! I just wanted to share some of these pictures with you all. Just look at their happy faces and say a little prayer of thanks to God that we have an influence over their young lives. I am writing this with no voice left - it finally gave out on me, but it was well worth it! It is so rewarding to know that for 90+ minutes tonight there was nothing but good things touching their lives. We had the perfect mix of helpers too, everyone was up for some fun as you can see from the pics. Over here it is a tradition during the time of "Halloween" to have some "Ducking for apples" and we tried out another traditional game in the "tied up Do-rings." The kids loved it all, and we will try and put up some photo's on the notice board for them to laugh about next week at class.

A Full Weekend

Well, we said goodbye to Amy and Beth this morning as they left to spend a week in Norway as part of a school music exchange. They have been sooo excited about this trip and every now and again either of them would just blurt out, "We're going to Norway on Monday!" It was hilarious watching them pack and convincing each other what they needed to bring and how much "Kroner" (Norwegian Currency) they would need to take with them. Both by the weight of their cases and the spending money they have accumulated (thanks to everyone!) you would think they were of for a month!

As a dad I was happy to see them both sharing the same excitement and interest and it was a thrill to see them constantly together feeding of each others joy. It was also crazy for a while as they zipped from room to room trying to gather everything up from the four corners of the house as well as ironing and nipping back and forth to the computer to "facebook" the Norwegian girls they were staying with - women!

Having said all that I am so proud of them both. I have no doubt that they will be a joy to host and will be considerate and diligent in all they are involved in as they represent the school. They had already established that their host families were Christians and that their lifestyle is very similar to our girls, so again I take great joy in all that.

Yesterday was a pretty full day for me. I went to bible class not anticipating having to teach the adult class. As everyone arrived there was a growing realisation that no-one had been prompted to cover the class. So, I took the plunge and shared a study on the Lord's Table. The response was great and the discussion around the teaching was an encouragement. The only thing was that during the class my voice started giving out and I had to preach at the worship too. Things got stretched when I ended up song leading too, which was great, but the whole time I was praying that there would be enough left for preaching. I drank plenty water and am glad to report that all was well. I preached on HOPE and wanted everyone to realise that when God's involved we need to be expecting and anticipating that every day has the potential to be huge, when we exercise the "Living Hope" that is ours in Christ. Everyone was encouraged, not least myself! It was a good day and even being thrown in at the deep end at the bible class made me realise that if we are willing God will give the strength needed to bless others.

Yesterday happened to be my dad's 60th birthday! It is incredible to believe he is 60. I found it really hard to find the right thing to say in his card. This is a huge milestone in his life and I wanted him to know that I have appreciated his life thus far. He continues to be a big example in my life and Thursday coffee times are an important part of my life. I am prayerful that God has many years mapped out for him yet as I know his heart for the kingdom.

Well, enough of the sentimental stuff! God bless you all.,

The 3rd Sunday in The Month

I have to share what happened on Sunday night with you all. It was decided a wee while back that we could try a different approach to the format of the Sunday night meeting every 3rd Sunday in the month. It is a chance for us "younger" men to take leadership of the format in an effort to encourage visitors to come and see. This was our 3rd one and although John Campbell was away on holiday, David Chapman did a fantastic job in making sure the night got off to a welcoming and relaxed start. David was great at involving the audience and leading the singing in a focused and thoughtful way. When it was time for me to get up and preach, it just seemed so natural for me. I love the setting and the tone we are able to create on occasions like this. As usual I had spent a lot of time on the presentation of the message and had PowerPoint to use images that help engage the audience. I preached about the fundamental truth of Good and Evil and used Snow White V's. Wicked Queen, Batman V's. Joker and Darth Vader V's. Luke Skywalker to illustrate. I then put up a slide of Mother Teresa and Mira Hindley to bring the reality home, that we all have the potential to pursue good or evil. I talked about Jesus prayers and His will that we be protected and delivered from the evil one. I finished up focusing on two facts, the fact that Jesus IS good and if He is in us we can OVERCOME evil and the fact that Christ is GREATER than the one that is in the world. We finished up and enjoyed a time of fellowship over a cup of tea. Everyone stayed a good while and enjoyed being together.

I must tell you about who all was there! That afternoon I spent a lot of time inviting people to come. I called families who have kids coming to classes and couples who I thought might be interested in coming. I also called a bunch of our teens who come through the week to come. The response was amazing. I have a drive in me now to invite people to come that was not as powerful before. I have hope that what we are doing on these Sunday nights has the potential to impact the lives of the lost and seeking. The result was that we had almost as much visitors as our own brethren. It makes a huge difference when preaching to know there are souls out there in need of the Words of Life. We had 14 teenagers there. Two of them were there for the first time, Shaun Main and Andrew Forman. Shaun is a great young man and is a potential leader in our developing group. It was sooo encouraging to see him come. Thomas Dickie and Rachel came again, this was their second time to come and I am hugely impressed with Thomas. His eyes the whole time I was preaching never moved! Shari, Thomas' mum came too! I was so thrilled that she came and after talking a while I can see that she has a sincere spiritual side. The following morning I got a very encouraging e-mail from Shireen, expressing how impacting the message was for her. I am confident that the next time we have our 3rd Sunday meeting that we will have more visitors and more opportunity to plant the beautiful seeds of the gospel in the hearts of the lost and seeking.

If you all have opportunity to keep our efforts in your prayers, that would mean so much! I am hopeful that God is using this time in a big way and it would mean everything to know that you are helping with your prayers.

I need to mention our time with Ian and Barbara Starrs! We spent an evening with them and were hugely encouraged by their hearts. Ian and Barbara have been in ministry for a long time and listening to their wisdom and experience was a blessing to Fenella and I. It's always good to have "Pit Stops" like this and it is encouraging to know that in Christ there are always people who know and care.

Well, enough for now - God bless!

Slowly, but Surely

The last week has been fantastic! Last Thursday was top of the list. The group that we had together on Thursday night was great. We had 21 there which is a healthy sign that things are back on track again. Many of the boys have football training which was moved from Tuesday to Thursday nights. In spite of this we still have a group of 16 boys there and at 8,00 we had 6 of the girls come down as well. The atmosphere is back to being what it was and the joy has returned. Teaching the class was refreshing and I pray that the seed will continue to bring about it's purpose in their lives. At 9.30, after I had finished dropping everyone home, I felt an air of calm in my heart. I know form the evidence of the class that things are OK.

At the weekend we were sent into a little bit of a spin. I was reminded on Saturday morning that I was preaching at Buckie on Sunday. When Bill Pirrie phoned to confirm, my first reaction was panic. Up to that point the week had been pretty hectic with surgery and various other family stuff and my first reaction was, How am I going to get two sermons ready for tomorrow. Then I calmed down and thought, the truth is, Buckie is exactly what Fenella and I need. Every time we go up to Buckie we are deeply refreshed. And it turned out to be no different this time. We are always so well received and leave feeling encouraged and content. The Buckie church is so appreciative of us being there and they are not slow to let you know that. I am confident that the lessons I brought blessed the church and in the same way that we were encouraged I know that the church was too. As I write this I can't help thinking that this is what it 's all about, Christians encouraging one another as they share the Lord.

On Monday night with our primary school class at church, again the signs are encouraging! We had a great class with 18 kids there. One of the encouraging happenings from Monday night was the example of Claire Geddes. Claire left primary school and went up to high school this year. Claire made her own way up to the building and wants to be a helper at the class. She was without doubt a good help on Monday night and the encouraging thing is to see her desire to be involved in a more leading way at the church classes. I was making a big deal of inviting the kids to come on Wednesday night. It looks like both Thursday and Monday nights are back on track, but a little work is still needed to get health back into Wednesday's.

I have to tell you all about yesterday lunch time at Central school. Yesterday marked the first lunchtime club since I got back from America. I was looking forward to working with the P1-3's (ages 5-6). Normally there is a limit of 20 kids. Yesterday when the bell rang to mark the start of the ball-games I was blown away to see a seemingly never ending line of children march into the hall. Once everyone was in there and settled down I counted how many there were - 42! There was no way I could work with so many in the little time we had, so I had to send the P2's back to class and kept the 24 P3's. We had the best time, but I felt horrible having to send almost half of the children away. I talked to the headmaster afterward and suggested we try to work out something for the P2's later in the week. The encouraging message from yesterday was how excited the kids were to be a part of the lunchtime clubs and I look forward to working with Central after the October break.

Well, I know there are many of you have responded to my plea for prayers! There is no other explanation for the response these past days. It seems that everything I have been involved in has been blessed and in some way has grown. Thank you!!! My energy levels have increased and my heart is encouraged for the days ahead. I am reminded of the verse that says, "Be careful if you think you are standing, lest you fall." Please continue to keep our efforts in your prayers so that the church here in Peterhead blossoms. I must say that I am aware that the tone of this blog is so much more positive than my last couple of entries. So, like I am, take courage in the strength of our God.

God bless!

Painful

I decided to title this blog "painful" for two reasons. The first is pretty obvious in light the surgery I underwent on my elbow on Monday. I had a nerve decompression and some cleaning up done to my left elbow. I am happy to say that other than a little pain and an awkward bandage around my elbow, which makes it hard to get warm clothes on, I am doing great. The only down side is that I have to stay away from playing any football or sport for a wee while. I am still able to keep up with my regular school stuff which is magic, I just have to be very disciplined not to join in.

The second reason for the title is a little tougher to handle because it affects my heart. I was always concerned that leaving for America would have an impact on my ministry and I was not wrong. It breaks my heart to see that so many kids have got out of the loop of coming to classes at church. I am most concerned about Wednesday nights. Last night we had only 15 kids there. Don't get me wrong I loved being with them and we had a great time together, but it hurts my heart to know that so many are not being blessed on Wednesday nights. The story is similar throughout all the classes, but not to the same extent as felt on Wednesday nights. I have to be honest and express that my heart is sad to be faced with this reality. It is my desire to be a blessing to as many as possible and that Christ might be seen through me.

With this in mind I need to say that I am now excited at the challenge ahead. I know that the opportunity for growth is very much there and the increased opportunities I have within the schools means that I have ears willing to listen and who will receive an invite to "Come and see." My prayer is again that we might be a place where kids are consistently shown care and love that stems from the Father. I want to echo again to all of you who have a passion for working with children that the key in today's culture is "CONSISTENCY." We have to be there on a regular basis. To break this cycle can take a while to build and establish again.

Although the sentiments of this blog are a little on the negative side, I want you all to know that I am in a great frame of mind and I anticipate that we can rebuild and again be a force for good in the arena of the young lives starved for a connection with their loving Father. I would ask for your continued prayers, I am well aware that I have limits, but God is the source and the power. It would mean the world to know that you were holding up our needs to the Father, who is able to do all we ask or imagine, for the sake of His kingdom.

God bless!

Prosperity

I just wanted to share something that I thought was touching. As you all are probably aware I spent the last month over in America working on raising funds to continue ministering here in Peterhead. I was unpacking all my clothes and stuff from my case and something caught my eye. A small silver object fell to the floor as I was pulling out a bunch of t-shirts. It made me curious because I know I didn't pack anything like that before I left for America. I picked it up and was instantly humbled and touched as a result of what the object was. It was a silver "Charm" kinda thing that on one one side had an angel and the other was the inscription "Prosperity." I know that somewhere along my travels through the states someone cared enough to wish me prosperity for our ministry. I will treasure this always and remember the sentiments.

Mentioning this event reminded me of another "Gift" that was given to me and one to Fenella. I was visiting a couple, who will remain nameless, but will always be remembered! After spending a beautiful night with this lovely family, I was driven back to where I was staying and with tears in their eyes I was given two figurines. One was of a lady holding a teapot and was a gift for Fenella. The other figure was of a man holding a golden heart. I was told that my passion for the kingdom had been inspiring. It was a humbling moment for me, but so encouraging at the same time. Like with the "Prosperity" charm, I will never forget this kindness and the sentiments.

Just thought I would share this with you all to encourage you to know that the thread that unites us all in Christ is beautiful and that the memories we hold of godly men and women are precious!

God bless!

Like a Duck to Water

It is simply brilliant to be back and ministering here again. There has been much to be thankful about and one or two things to be diligent about. This past week I have been focused on getting things up and running, especially in the schools. I loved going around visiting with the schools and getting excited about the opportunities that I will have this term. Already I have had 3 school assemblies, another two this morning and one tomorrow morning. It has been the best way to get stuck in and to be assured that we are very much up and running again. The one area that caused me a little sorrow was our classes at church. I knew this would be the area that would suffer most by my absence. The first Thursday night class was an eye opener! There were only 13 teens there. At the end of last term we had regularly over 25 coming. I look forward to the coming weeks and encouraging the teens to encourage each other to get back into the groove and make Thursday nights the atmosphere that we had earlier in the year. The positive side is that of the 13 there this week the class was beautiful and I was so glad to be back and involved in their lives again. Monday night was great and for the first week back we had 18 there as well as 5 of our teens. It was so encouraging as I picked up Lewis Emslie and was approaching the church building, he let out a cheer and punched the air saying, "Yes, clubs started again!" I was almost in tears and was just so delighted that the class has so big an impact on his young life. We had 3 new kids there tonight and I have no doubt that things are fine for Monday nights. Wednesday night bible class was also encouraging. We had over 20 kids there, mostly the teenagers, but also 9 primary school age too. We had an open class and had a good time.

I am content and settled knowing that things are good here, since being out of touch for the month I had to be in the States. Yes, there is work to be done, but I am confident that with the aid of our Father that things will continue to grow. The assemblies I have taken so far since being home have been amazing. In the short time I have been home I have influenced 800+ children and know that the opportunities within the schools are there. I take great joy in knowing that.

Last weekend we held a "Social" here in Peterhead. Christians from all over Scotland make a trip up here to enjoy a weekend of fellowship and encouragement. The time was great and all, both local brethren and those travelling to be with us, were blessed as a result. We had Ian Starrs from Aberdeen and Jack Strachan from East Kilbride preach during the weekend and both did an outstanding job of encouraging the saints. We have had the "Sojourners" here with us over the last couple of weeks. I know they have done a fine job working around the building and in encouraging the brethren here. I have not had much time to spend with them since I have been focusing my time on getting things going with my school ministries and with getting the classes started at the building, but I know the congregation have been blessed by their efforts and service.

J.W. Lively is also here visiting the church from Lake Dallas. I had the joy of spending the day with him on Tuesday and getting to play a round of golf on Wednesday with him and James Butters. JW was able to come and see some of the schools I work with and see two assemblies with the Burnhaven and Clerkhill Schools. JW was "Honoured" to have coffee with me and my father and we were able to relax and talk for a while about the kingdom and culture stuff. We had a chance to have supper in the evening with my family and got to know and appreciate him as a friend in Christ.

I may be able to post a couple of photos which JW was able to take during our assemblies. It is not often I have the chance to show photos as I can't take photos of myself during the event, but I know JW took some and I will try to remember to ask him for a copy. I love when I am able to show these because the school assemblies are such a huge part of my work here and one of my most amazing opportunities for planting seeds.

Well the surface has been scratched again!
God bless

Home is where the Heart is!

I'm Home!!! I feel whole again. As I drew up to the house, having been picked up from the airport by my dad, I could see Fenella in the car about to take Holly and Hannah to Brownies. Everything came to a standstill though when they saw me walking toward them. I was so happy! I didn't know what to do first. Of course Fenella was my first target, but she was busy moving the car to a safe place and Holly and Hannah were right there in the back seat, excited to see me. Well, safe to say there was plenty of huggin' going on! Amy and Beth came home later after orchestra practice and again I was happy. It felt weird, part of me felt that I had never been away, yet another part of me was all to aware that I had been away for a while. I know I am a man richly blessed.

I had a bag with some gifts for the girls and to my surprise I think I got it all right. Everyone was impressed with my choices and put it down to listening to their years of educating me about taste and fashion - remember I am surrounded by girls! I felt pretty proud that I had done a good job, but in my heart I was filling up the months worth of family drought. Watching their expressions, listening to their excitement and feeling content that I was home again.

Yes, jet lag has a hold on me and I have the niggling worry in the back of my mind about the trip and whether enough was done to make sure we are safe financially, but in everything for the moment I am able to rest in the ability of our Father and pray that He will bring everything to fruition. For all the people I was blessed to meet, all the Missions committees and leadership meetings where I was able to present what God is doing here, thank you all for your encouragement and responsiveness. I earnestly pray that we can be involved together in something amazing for the kingdom here in Peterhead, Scotland.

God bless!

That's a Wrap!

Time's up here in the USA. Tomorrow I leave at lunch time for Memphis airport and begin the journey home. These past days I've been watching the storms with great interest to see if they will cause problems for my homeward bound flight - thankfully I think they have all past and the weather tomorrow is nice.

Today was busy and I'm mentally spent. This morning I was able to talk to George and Donna's class at College Church. I was very well received and had a great response to the presentation. They are a good bunch of people. In the afternoon I met with the College Church missions committee. They were great and a little relieved at the report hinting that additional churches were getting involved in our support and therefore freeing up some funds they were holding in reserve. They were VERY encouraging and in turn were encouraged by my report of what thing were like back home. I left there in time to get to Foothills Church where I was invited to share and preach. From the moment I stepped inside the Foothills Church building I felt at ease! They are a great family. I was very well received and generated a lot of interest in our work. It was especially good to see Paul and Sharron Pitt and Jim and Nellie Hardin who are good friends from our time at the Bethel Grove Church. L.V. Pfieffer was hugely encouraging to me and I was sad to say goodbye.

I now rest in the fact that I have poured my heart out to so many individuals and churches and can now leave everything in God's hands. I feel, going by the responses, that God will see us through this sticky time and provide the needed funds to allow us to continue planting the seeds for His kingdom. I am weary, but satisfied, that I have given a good account of our work and that many have been supportive and inspired. Although I am weary this side, I know that all it will take to revive me will be five gorgeous smiles waiting for me on the other side.

Thanks for all your prayers - God bless!

Hole in one!!

Well, I hope you don't get the wrong idea here, but this afternoon I had the chance to play some golf with Colin and Alistair Ferry and Alex Swango. I hit a beauty on the 5th and would you believe it I got a hole in one! This is my second in my lifetime, the first was in Peterhead playing with Alex Ritchie around 20 years ago. I was so chuffed and can now boast having a hole in one in two different countries.

Apart from the golfing I did get some more important things done and made a second visit LV Pfieffer's to confirm everything for Sunday night when I have the opportunity to present the work in Peterhead to the Foothills Church. It was also good to spend a good part of the day with Alex Swango. He is still very actively trying to get his support worked out and is hoping to be with us in January 09.

I had the joy of being at HSBS chapel this morning and was given the floor to share what God is doing in Peterhead. It was good to meet so many great people and I got a surprise to see Ricky there. Ricky was an AIM worker with the West Mains church in East Kilbride, Scotland and I had the pleasure of spending some time with him at an Aberdeen youth weekend last year. It really is a small world!

Last night I spent the night with Dwight and Caroline Smith and was delighted to see that Desirae was there to for supper. Desirae is a one in a million girl! We had the joy of having her stay with our family during a previous Harding campaign and got to know and love her. I slept in Dwight and Caroline's 'Australia' room. It was good to have this time with then and they continue to be great encourager's and have a great heart for the kingdom and missions.

Well, I now only have 2 days till I fly out. I can't believe that the time has almost come. I remember thinking at various times in the trip that leaving for home seemed so far in the distance, but now the time has almost come! I must be truthful and say that I am glad it is almost over, but I also must say that I have been blessed during my ventures here. I know there are five girls who have been gracious enough to share me with the church in America for a time, but they are ready for their dad and husband to get home - only 2 more days!

I would ask that all who visit this blog keep us in your prayers. I ask that you petition our Father that He blesses all the efforts I have made for the good of the kingdom while I have been over here and that what's needed is supplied.

God bless!

The Road to El-Derado

I can't help it, but I simply have more people to comment on these past 3 days. On Tuesday night I travelled up to Little Rock to spend the evening with our good friends Nicky and Tanya Valls. It is amazing, but just simply seeing them face to face meant so much. We have known them for over 10 years now and they are simply two of the most supportive and exemplary people Fenella and I know. I had the joy of sharing a home cooked meal! I have been eating out sooo much that sitting round a home dinner table was lovely! It was good simply to catch up and talk for a while.

I left the next morning and headed south to El-Dorado. My first time there, but I pray not my last. They are a beautiful bunch of people. I had the joy to spend an evening in the home of Jack and Jeri McNutt. I know I seem to be repeating myself a lot in these past few blogs, but I have simply met some of the best people alive. Jack and Jeri are certainly no exception. I had the opportunity to meet some of the elders and deacons from the church and we spent some time talking about the work in Peterhead. I was encouraged greatly with the whole visit and before leaving I was treated to breakfast before hitting the road again back to Searcy.

Before leaving to go to El-Dorado I nipped in past to see one of my personal "Giants" in the faith, L.V.Pfeiffer. I always make a point, when I am in Searcy, to go round and visit. Maxine was poorly and I didn't get to visit with her, but spent a wee while with L.V. I was encouraged to hear that he is still preaching and sharing the depths of his years study with a church. I was even more encouraged to hear back from L.V. this morning that he had talked with his elders at the church and they have invited me to talk about the ministry this coming Sunday night. Again, I have an opportunity and I am delighted. That will be my last meeting before flying out the next day back home.

I am sooo ready to walk through my front door and be smothered by my family. Just thinking about that moment is causing my heart and eyes to fill up, but it is all that I think about when I get a chance like this to be alone.

Tonight I get to spend some time with Dwight and Caroline Smith. I am looking forward.

Well, again, that's it for now!
God bless!

The home stretch!

Ever since last Sunday when I was missing home and had a pretty bad day, things have only got better. I have spoken to Fenella and the girls often and the hospitality and support I have received here in Manchester has been outstanding! I am now in a fantastic frame of mind and am excited to be going back down to Searcy for the last spurt of meetings and presentations before saying bye to the States and hello to Scotland again.

I have been thoroughly built up during my stay here and had two great opportunities yesterday with the Waterbury and Wallingford Churches. They were both very receptive to the presentation of our work in Scotland and both had plenty of questions about the work. I was encouraged greatly by both churches receptiveness. I met some neat people and now have fond memories of two churches that before this trip I didn't even know existed. Isn't being in Christ amazing! I have little idea what the outcome of these encounters will provide as far as the financial side goes, but I know I have been blessed richly in having spent some time with them. It would be fantastic if they decided to get involved with our ministry.

I got some great news yesterday when we got back to Manchester. Taylor, a lovely young girl I got the joy to meet and visit with her family a couple of nights ago, became a Child of God's that morning. I was so delighted for her. Beth, Scott and Amy are doing a fine job! I suppose the fact that there is a strong Scottish connection with Scott's family has something to do with it all.

This morning I went for breakfast with Arnie, the preacher here. Again, I was blessed! He is a remarkable man. I loved his gentleness and found that I could talk at ease and can truly say I have a friend. He was very encouraging and had an obvious wealth of experience and insight. It was a morning well spent.

I will leave here in a wee while, to fly down to Little Rock, and can leave with a calm soul. I have loved being with the church here and know that our relationship has been strengthened.

I ask for your prayers that the people I have met and who are considering our ministry can be moved to get involved with us. Please keep Fenella and my girls in your prayers and that I can be safely united with them soon. I also ask that you keep in your prayers this coming weeks opportunities. I don't know how things will look in the end, but I do know that it is essential to my families well being that this trip is successful financially. So please keep me in your prayers that I can effectively, with passion, present the truth about what God is doing through His church in Peterhead - thank you!

God bless!

I'm a "Red Sox" fan

I know the title may put some of you who may not be Red Sox fans off this blog, but I have been hooked on baseball! I went for lunch with Anthony, the outreach minister here in Manchester, and afterward I had an urge to buy a "Red Sox" T-shirt. I suppose there is a little more to it and the fact that it is so easy to unwind watching a game is more to the point, but there it is I like baseball. Before any one gets carried away though, Football (soccer) is still my No1.

Just a "By the way" sort of thing. I am getting all these weird lumps on my hands and arm. I think I am getting bitten by something at night time. I have a huge lump on my forearm and two smaller lumps on my knuckles. Only seems to have been since since I've been up north. I don't suppose there is any reason to be worried. I'm guessing this sort of thing is common?

Last night I was with another lovely family here in Manchester - the Stafords. As with everyone I have spent time with here, the hospitality was amazing! Peter had done some kebabs on the grill and Sue had complimented with a variety of other dishes and the desert was especially good - Peach and berry pie with ice cream. I told them my wife is going to see a BIG change in me when I get home. We were instantly connected because "football" is big in the family. I am indebted to all the neat people I have met here and am blessed to have made so many connections and friendships. It really is great to be a part of the Kingdom of God. His children stand out and truly reflect the Son.

Had the privilege to watch another Red Sox game last night and can inform everyone that since I have been a fan they have never lost a game! Well, up until now that is, I may just have jinxed their run of wins :)

I am getting more excited as this trip goes on and can now see the end in sight. Only 9 days till I get to be with my family again!

God bless!

Picking Peaches

Had the neatest experience the other day - went to an orchard to pick some peaches! This was a first and it was rather enjoyable. Yesterday I went on a trek up a mountain where at the top there was a tower that gave the most amazing views.

I have to confess though that the most inspiring time I have spent here has been with the people! I have been blessed big time by spending time with some amazing, godly people. On Wednesday night I had the joy of being with Tim and Christi Garcia, who we have known for a while now but did not know they were back at Manchester. We enjoyed talking about the kingdom and their passion was obvious and contagious. Yesterday I met Brian, who is Manchester's Youth minister. We had a great time - although I had to put in a shift lifting and helping move some BIG stuff. I was delighted to be able to help out and actually do some physical work for a change. It was again a joy to get to know Brian and spend time talking about the church and again I was encouraged by his appetite for the kingdom. Last night I had supper with an amazing bunch of people all living in the same house, but with various connections and ties. Scott and Beth were a lovely couple and pretty much spoiled me all night, but the hospitality I was shown while with them was truly sweet. I left there built up and inspired. The discussion and shared vision for the kingdom we shared was obvious. I met Greg, who was visiting from Austin, TX and I am continually amazed at how the right people are in the right places at the right time with timely wisdom and insight and that was Greg. I have so much to praise God for in these past few days and I am even more convinced that this trip had God written all over it - I am humbled and overjoyed to have been in the presence of so many good and Christ centered servants of our Fathers.

I am also thankful to "Net 10!" I bought a phone card with 300 minutes and got a free phone. This has proved to be the most precious blessing of the entire trip. I have a direct link to my family and have felt so much closer and connected than on any previous trip. I will sometimes be at the laptop and the phone will ring and there will be a voice on my phone, usually Holly's voice! I am just so happy that my girls can get hold of me pretty much any time. Fenella calls when I log into our AOL account, because she knows I am able to talk when she hears the PC in the dining room say "Goodbye" and she knows I have just logged onto our account. I have so much to be thankful for and know that it won't be too much longer now before I get to be with them again.

Got a note from Mel Duthie in Dundee letting me know that she has committed her life to Christ. I am so glad for her and have had the joy of helping a wee bit in her journey to crowning Him King.

Well, stay focused and God bless!

Next stage

I have got to begin this blog with the highest of praise for Fenella! It has weighed heavy on my heart the whole time I've been over here the fact that I will miss the first four weeks of the new school term. I was scared that I would be out of the loop as far as Assemblies and school clubs. My beautiful P.A. has contacted all the schools to explain my absence and has filled my diary, so that when I get home I can slip right into the schools and minister. I am soooo thrilled and am at peace knowing that the schools are sorted.

Yesterday I arrived in Manchester, Connecticut. Took the whole day travelling to get there. As soon as I got off the plane there were two friendly faces there to greet me. I am always humbled when I think of the connections and extended family we have as a result of Christ. Here I am half way across the world and there are friends who are hospitable and extend Christ's love - it is truly lovely. I am looking forward to my time here in the North and pray our ministry will again be well received.

I have to admit that this past Sunday I was on a downer. I was missing Fenella and the girls and everywhere I turned there were families! So, on the Monday I cleared out and went to Little Rock to do some shopping for the family. It was exactly what I needed - to be by myself for a while and just thinking about my family. Even though I was standing in Old Navy with clothes all around me I had no idea what to pick out!

The last few days when I was in Searcy were good. I met up with a bunch of people. Had coffee one night with Jenny, who spent the summer with us, and Hannah Valls who spent the summer in Zambia. We talked about the kingdom and being able to see with a different perspective having experienced different cultures and stuff. I had an evening with Dwight and Caroline, who had invited a house full of people. It was at Dwight and Caroline's that one of the most memorable things happened. I got to meet Lachlan, who is also from Scotland. Dwight met him on a flight and started to study with him and invited him to stay a while until on Saturday night he was baptized into Christ. It was good to be in Lachlan's company and be inspired by his passion for the kingdom. It was a neat evening. Funnily enough Adam and Melonie Barr from Cumbernauld, Scotland were there getting Nicole settled into Harding.

I am now past the half way point of the trip and know things will fly from this point on. I am beginning to let myself think about being with Fenella and my girls knowing that there are less than two weeks to go.

I ask again for your prayers that the rest of my trip can be fruitful as I present the work in Peterhead and try to gain the support of people who are excited about the kingdom.

God bless!

Sad to say goodbye

Tomorrow morning I will fly out of the Dallas area and it will truly be a sad occasion. It has been so good to spend some time here with the Lake Dallas and South MacArthur churches. I am greatly encouraged and as if I need to be more focused, I have been able to take a step back from our ministry and see afresh how God has been working these past years. It has been great to share our joy and passion for the kingdom in Peterhead with so many here and it has been refreshing to see how well our work has been received and supported. I am totally in the debt of Glenn and Sammie! I have been part of the family these past days and the cool thing is I feel like family! God is so good. I have been well impressed by their son, Jade, he has hooked me up with a game of golf and a soccer match! He has gone the extra mile with me and I look forward to some day getting to make good on his favour when he comes to visit us in Scotland.

On Tuesday night I experienced what I'm sure will be one of my highlights from the trip. I got to spend the evening with Hunter and Liz Valls. They are a beautiful couple who love the kingdom and each other. Yes, Liz's cooking was outstanding and our conversation inspiring, but to top everything - they surprised me by taking me out to an ice-cream place!!! I was soooo happy. At heart I am a very simple kinda guy and that was just the icing on the cake! Thank you both, you made my visit!

Last night I had the joy of going down to Bowie Texas. I could not believe my eyes when John Paige walked into the building. I went through HSBS with John and had no idea this was where he had settled. It was good to catch up share where our paths had led since being in school. I met with the elders and a few others to share what is going on in Peterhead and to invite them to get involved with our work. The time spent with them was encouraging and I pray that I was able to convey with passion our work for the Lord in Peterhead.

Tonight I was thrilled to meet with a group of the Lake Dallas brethren and be able to share with them, in a relaxed class, the work in Peterhead. Again I was touched by the interest and encouragement that the group had for our work. I will always have a soft place in my heart for the LD Church, they have been helping take care of my family from the beginning of our journey nine years ago.

I suppose the important thing here is this - When I left Peterhead, I did not exactly know why the timing of this trip had to be now, but I now know why. I am so glad that God was working behind the scenes to get me over here at this time. I am even more thankful that He has been with me at every meeting with every group of people I have had opportunity to talk with thus far.

I am settled and excited about the trip so far and am now looking forward to the next stage of the trip. I do get to drop in past my brothers tomorrow before flying on to the Boston area next week to visit with the Manchester Church - looking forward!

Well, take care and God bless.