Our God is a Great Big God and He holds us in His hands.
Today I went to my school to find out that my part-time 1 year contract is not being renewed. This has come as no surprise to us as the school role has dropped and the school is running at a great loss at present.
We are both praying that God will open up a new door for us somewhere. This year has been so wonderful being part-time has enabled us to open up a schools work and ministry in three local schools, plus being a teacher with week ends free enables us to do fun days and Sunday School also doing something other than teaching would mean not being able to do holiday clubs.
So this blog is a request for your prayers too: to ask God what the way forward is. I have long had a desire to do more with the children and more outside market type work trying out the car boot sale and taking the gospel message there. My really big idea is a double decker bus that can go to markets, car boot sales, schools, shopping centres who knows where. God is in charge I know that and Sarah knows that. So this morning as I read the letter I felt very happy and I've been excited all day knowing that God has something better for us. Praise the Lord for His goodness to us and His Blessing are new every morning.
Monday, 10 May 2010
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Croftlands Infant School
Well what a good time we had this morning with the children from the Infant school. Again as we started to set up the song request came in (it was actually several ) all for : Our God is a Great Big God. The hall filled up and the kids are so excitable. We sing the request song which goes down a real treat with all the kids joining in. Then Sarah started to tell a story about a lady in the Bible and guess who had to act out the part? So with a pink Stephanie wig on and Sarah reading away we told the story of the Lost Coin, which the children thought was great. Sarah followed it up with a little talk and then we sang our new favourite song Shine.
It is so good to be able to get into the schools in our area and teach the children a little something about the Bible, God and Jesus. Part-time teaching has really blessed us this year and in turn we have been able to bless others. We would ask for your prayers though at this time as my part-time 1 year contract has not yet been renewed so we are concerned a little about what happens next. With the success of this year we can't believe that it was just for a year, which might be the case if I have to take a full-time job elsewhere. Sarah and I have talked about how we would love to do more within the schools particularly on Croftlands. So that is why we ask you to pray for us. It is an exciting time - and our problems are God's opportunities.
God Bless
Mark
It is so good to be able to get into the schools in our area and teach the children a little something about the Bible, God and Jesus. Part-time teaching has really blessed us this year and in turn we have been able to bless others. We would ask for your prayers though at this time as my part-time 1 year contract has not yet been renewed so we are concerned a little about what happens next. With the success of this year we can't believe that it was just for a year, which might be the case if I have to take a full-time job elsewhere. Sarah and I have talked about how we would love to do more within the schools particularly on Croftlands. So that is why we ask you to pray for us. It is an exciting time - and our problems are God's opportunities.
God Bless
Mark
Saturday, 1 May 2010
Millom Fun Day
Well what can I say? In the words of Gary it would be WOW!!
Today Sarah and I travelled with the family over to Millom to take part in their Fun Day. It started at 12 and finished at about 4. Sarah and I did 5 slots during the day and entertained about 30 people each time children and adults. We did 2 magic shows one I called a family show which seemed to be the best attended, there were people crowding the door and all the seats were taken inside. We also did 2 story slots, 1 was an interactive story with Bertie helping out (HA HA) and 1 was for younger children (which was good but maybe a bit too long). We then did a final slot which was all gospel based stuff, magic and Molly singing His Love Will Go On. All in all a great day, certainly our children enjoyed it and the feedback we got from the organisers was positive so much so they have already booked us for next year.
We will never know what impact we have had on the children and adults today but we have sown the seeds of the gospel and about God's love for us, and we pray that those seeds will in time start to develop and grow. To God be the Glory for today.
Mark
Today Sarah and I travelled with the family over to Millom to take part in their Fun Day. It started at 12 and finished at about 4. Sarah and I did 5 slots during the day and entertained about 30 people each time children and adults. We did 2 magic shows one I called a family show which seemed to be the best attended, there were people crowding the door and all the seats were taken inside. We also did 2 story slots, 1 was an interactive story with Bertie helping out (HA HA) and 1 was for younger children (which was good but maybe a bit too long). We then did a final slot which was all gospel based stuff, magic and Molly singing His Love Will Go On. All in all a great day, certainly our children enjoyed it and the feedback we got from the organisers was positive so much so they have already booked us for next year.
We will never know what impact we have had on the children and adults today but we have sown the seeds of the gospel and about God's love for us, and we pray that those seeds will in time start to develop and grow. To God be the Glory for today.
Mark
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Saturday - Millom
We are both very busy this week not only with our every day things and assemblies etc and other church activities but on Saturday we have the first of our many Fun Days. We (I) have lots of new material to work through, tricks in particular. So I am looking forward to Thursday my day off when I can sit down and plan, practise and perfect my acts. I am trying to put together two different acts for the children each one with a slight gospel message to it then a final act with a more powerful message to it. As well as the magic we are also going to be telling a few stories with a bit of a twist to them. I am looking forward to it. We would ask though that you would pray for us. It always or nearly always happens that whenever we put ourselves out there for God, Satan starts to destroy it, either by illness, or stops the wheelchair from working. So please pray for protection over us and our children this week and on Saturday so that God's Glory may be seen.
Low Furness School
Shine, Shine, Shine
Today we introduced the pupils of Low Furness School to Shine. A new song that we pick up from the all age worship at Spring Harvest. I feel that it is going to be one of those songs that never goes away. The children loved it. For the story today we told the Lost Coin Story from one of the children's bibles. But before Sarah read the story we had someone looking round the room for a lost coin. During the telling of the story Sarah had me acting out parts of it, complete with pink (Stephanie) wig. Then as the children had enjoyed it so much we sang Shine again. At the end one of the teachers told a real life story about losing her purse on Monday - thankfully two men found it and returned it to her so she said they Shone out by doing a good thing. It fitted in well. It just goes to show that God has all things planned.
Today we introduced the pupils of Low Furness School to Shine. A new song that we pick up from the all age worship at Spring Harvest. I feel that it is going to be one of those songs that never goes away. The children loved it. For the story today we told the Lost Coin Story from one of the children's bibles. But before Sarah read the story we had someone looking round the room for a lost coin. During the telling of the story Sarah had me acting out parts of it, complete with pink (Stephanie) wig. Then as the children had enjoyed it so much we sang Shine again. At the end one of the teachers told a real life story about losing her purse on Monday - thankfully two men found it and returned it to her so she said they Shone out by doing a good thing. It fitted in well. It just goes to show that God has all things planned.
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Croftlands School Assemlies
NO! NO! NO!
This was the theme for the assemblies at both schools this week. Saying NO! However it was not based on a negative, it was based around Daniel and his friends who said NO! to the Kings special food. We tried to teach the children that it is sometimes bad to say NO! and it is sometimes good to say NO! We also told them that they should let their lights shine for Jesus and we demonstrated this by singing with them a new song (for us) that we picked up at Spring Harvest called Shine. The children really enjoyed it. So much so that on Monday afternoon our friend came round for tea with her two children both of which go to the Infant school and they were singing it.
God is really working in those schools and we pray that he will continue to do so and that he will show us what else we can do to further develop the work within the schools. The response we get as we are getting out of the car, setting up and during the assembly is great. We have children asking us for certain songs. We have seen children outside school who have recited words of songs back to us. We consider ourselves privileged to be able to work with them.
Mark
This was the theme for the assemblies at both schools this week. Saying NO! However it was not based on a negative, it was based around Daniel and his friends who said NO! to the Kings special food. We tried to teach the children that it is sometimes bad to say NO! and it is sometimes good to say NO! We also told them that they should let their lights shine for Jesus and we demonstrated this by singing with them a new song (for us) that we picked up at Spring Harvest called Shine. The children really enjoyed it. So much so that on Monday afternoon our friend came round for tea with her two children both of which go to the Infant school and they were singing it.
God is really working in those schools and we pray that he will continue to do so and that he will show us what else we can do to further develop the work within the schools. The response we get as we are getting out of the car, setting up and during the assembly is great. We have children asking us for certain songs. We have seen children outside school who have recited words of songs back to us. We consider ourselves privileged to be able to work with them.
Mark
Monday, 12 April 2010
Spring Harvest 2010 - Skegness
Well what can I say about Spring Harvest - It was rubbish...when we had to leave to come home. We could have stayed longer and soaked up the atmosphere. Sarah and the girls had a ball, and as for me I had a great time. It was good to listen to some powerful God inspired teaching in the Big Top and be involved in the worship with thousands of others. One can only imagine what Heaven will be like with millions of people worshipping God. We have come back refilled, refreshed, recharged and re-challenged to take God's word out to the people. The theme for the week was Seeing the World Through Different Eyes ... God's Eyes. Each day part of the story of Esther was brought to us and in particular the verse that says ...for such a time as this... When we look at the world with different eyes we can see all the - for such a time as this - parts of if. It made us realise that loosing my job last year was one such thing. And now facing that same situation again both Sarah and I and both say the same thing - for such a time as this. And we can face tomorrow knowing that we are firmly in God's plan and His story is part of our story and our story is part of His story. We can say that when we see the world through different eyes.
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