the disaster is wrekin my head, i have been running around belfast buying jeans and jackets, having coffee and lunch and then tonight had a look at the news....

i dont know what to say or do, or pray

happy christmas / new year

alright anyone who might read this, hope you had a great day yesterday, it snowed in belfast and we had snowball fights, what more could you ask for? :)

i was at soulwax & 2 many djs in dublin the other monday, photos
it was so good i was inspired to write this:

THE DANCE

Lost in music, the beat is reality
My body is an instrument
The orchesta surrounds and inspires
That extra effort, as muscles ache and sweat drips
From deep inside comes the next wave,
More Passion, More Energy
I desperately try to honour this music
That touches my soul...

In this moment I Loose Control

I am carried to a beatuiful place

YYYYYYEEEEEOOOOOOOO
day 60 done, setting captives free, finnished :)

THANK YOU to those who have prayed for me about this
(if you didnt know i have been doing this course on freedom from pornography, masterbation and sexual immorality)

after 6 months almost to the day i finnish the 2 month course. but its GREAT, i can honestly say i havent looked a porn on the internet since the start, which can only be possible by the grace of God. can i get a priase the Lord? PRAISE THE LORD, BONNA A SAFIWEY, SLAVA BOG-O.

I think i would like to celebrate properly, so ill be chattin to ryan who just finnished the drinking course, when i get back to belfast.... for anyone else who might be geographically challenged for such festivities, you can join in by toasting "Grace" the next time you have a drink.
peace
g
www.settingcatpivesfree.com

All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence. -eph 1 20-23

how come the church is SO divided? are we so insecure in our relationships with God that the possibility of Him interacting with other ppl in a totally different way scares us to the point where we reject them? can we simply not be arsed to get in touch with these "other" ppl. are the insitutional churches so out of touch with modern culture there is no option but to break free?

it was supposed to be so easy ....

feels like the soundtrack to my life all too often.. (its a song by the streets on their album "a grand dont come for free" -top 10 2004 albums)
anyway, i am having james from work and his girlfriend ruth over for tea tonight, kinda felt like i should and they are cool so it all seemed grand I made my first ever miranges for the event on tuesday (that sort of organisation on my part is pretty incredable) anyway james is now sick and when i undeterred invited phil round for the feast after some nice and extravgant food shopping, chopped all the ingrediants whack the pan on fry up onions and garlic, in goes the mince (for the lasagne) off goes the gas, STROKED A WEAKER!

btw Rolling stone were in ibiza with 24/7 this summer but never ran the artical however it is available HERE (you might have to watch an ad to read it but tis better than having to buy a copy of rolling stone... or let me guess you wouldnt have ;)

who says americans have no sense of irony

dontstayin.com

is where the photos from friday nite are, its quite a cool clubing community site aswell

had a really cool chat to my dad last night. there was some tension just hanging round that is gone, just about me worring i wasnt living up to his expectations and stuff. but i was stressin over nothing so thats pretty cool

also
check out mary turner who is a good friend releasing her first solo recording on street soul

a totally excellent nite in thopsons last night, funky house to dancefloor rock, to electro to techno and everything in between, beautfully crafted by a fine dj accomanied by live sax and bungos, the version of alter ego's rocker was mind blowing.
i will post photos later anyway doing my course and this story was in it, a bit cheesy but still quite cool



After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor once again slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and gave a very brief introduction of his childhood friend.

With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit to speak, "A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast," he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright, and the three were swept into the ocean."

The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story. He continued, "Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life... to which boy he would throw the other end of the line. He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son's friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father yelled out, 'I love you, son!' he threw the line to his son's friend. By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered."

By this time, the two teenagers were sitting straighter in the pew, waiting for the next words to come out of the old man's mouth. "The father," he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus, and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son. How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us." With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room.

Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side. "That was a nice story," politely stated one of the boys, "but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."

"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, and he once again looked up at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very realistic, is it? But I'm standing here today to tell you that THAT story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His Son for me.

You see... I was the son's friend."

blind-sided

went to Christian meeting thing on satuday nite 40mins outside dublin in Naas, its run by the guys i have been bible studying with on tuesdays and i was doin my testimony. anyway i got there quite early(it can happen) and went upstairs to pray, in the small room was a guy with downsymdrome who i had met the week before and arrogantly i had judged him as a nobdoy but Jesus had not... He nearly knocked me right out of the room with the power of his prayer, i mean this guy was on FIRE. . the next hour of so was a bit weird, kinda like the world was tilted up and everything that didnt matter kinda slid off into a far corner. Which left Aodhagan(this guys name), the Holy Spirit and me, it all kicked off in a falling around & laughing kinda way, he encouraged me to pray louder in tongues and to take hold of what God has for me... i was definately crappin myself at moments but ultimately totally blessed. reminded me how Big God is and how He loves to show up from the least likely place at the least likely moment.
I then went down to the meeting did my testimony and heard one of the most traditional preaches ever, which kinda wound me up. he was talkin about Lot and the evil of sodom as a parallel as to us and the world of socialising. He was tryin to say lets be positive but set apart, but it all sounded a bit like clubing/bars = wrong, but maybe thats more to do with me than him.
then this morning went to Core church and the guy was all about kingom living in this messy world, which was a bit more up my street. i then went for prayer, the guy prayed for peace and i ended up lying on the ground for about 20mins. just chillin, like i didnt want to move. Not a im in bed and can be arsed getting up. More like "the feeling inside me is so cool i just want to enjoy it not do anything else at all", hard to explain but kinda like being stoned.
which brings me back to another train of thought, are the feelings we can experience through drugs/alcohole/extreme sports/etc a quick or cheap version of what God gives us if we are in totaly unity with Him? or is that totally heresy?

ps new photos of dublin up in photo blog

to those who have ever woken up where i was on a saturday, you are well aware of my taste for a good old fry up, this morning woke up really hungry didnt even have milk in the house for a cup of tea, a trip to the butcher and shop later, I began another fine fry up. its not perfect but it certainly was a fine start to the day...

the classic everything in at once technique

the sausages might be a bit small and there is no soda bread, but the sauages and egg are fresh as a daisy and the potato bread is fried to perfection

a few seconds later...

staaory bud? (hello in a dublin accent)

herad a guy from josuha generation speak tonight. it was great, he was talking about holistic, relational, lifestyle Christianity, no secular just everything that God made good and some of it having fallen futher that the rest, ie a brothel has fallen further than a hospital but that doesnt mean that Jesus isnt there loving the people where they are at working girls, clients and pimps.
It was just a breath of the fresh air i havnt really been breathing here, God has been talkin to me but when everyone around you is a different vibe its impossible not to be influenced into the old secular/holy divide. I also met some ppl who were really welcoming loving open and passionate for God. I have met some ppl like that here already but somehow i havent really connected with them, maybe cause i havent spent enough time with them or i am a few years younger... i dont know but right now i kinda feel like i am settling for second best. but at the same time i dont know if i am asking too much or expecting too much from the community of believers, if i am being selfish and more importantly expecting them to provide what Jesus Himself would give me if i just asked Him for it.

but then the disciples did the early church as a big community, and much as it hurts my pride i really do need ppl to support me, here and now not just in soton much as communication is good its just not the same. it sucks that i might have to turn my back on a set of relationships i had begun to form, but the words of prophecy and prayers of my most trusted family say i should be in a time of training but i am pretty starving right now.

the is the other question of practical use, and what am i being? focusing on God and trying to love ppl at work is cool but there are a many things that i could help with or be involved in to help other ppl. the clubbing thing does really seem to be happening so i am not sure if that means i should forget it or if it means i should show a bit of endurance and go at it a bit harder?

sorry if this is spirtual jargon / double dutch to anyone it far to late to be translating...
peace g

brucy loving the irish victory at landsdown, bit of mission nearly lost but YOU'LL NEVER BEAT THE IRISH"

John 15
and "I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. 2He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. 3You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.
4"Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.
5"I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. 6Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. 7But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. 8This is how my Father shows who he is--when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.
9"I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. 10If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done--kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love.
11"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. 12This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. 13This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. 14You are my friends when you do the things I command you. 15I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.
16"You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.
17"But remember the root command: Love one another.

1 John 2:27 "As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit-just as it has taught you, remain in him."

i think that intimacy with Jesus for most of my life i have substited with church and bible studies and cell groups and big meetings. not really thinking that God really does want to just chill with me and that when He shows up there is no feeling like it. so all these other things can be good but as long as they are second place to the source.

LIGHT UP LIGHT UP AS IF YOU REALLY HAD A CHOICE
was at the snowpatrol gig last night, it had been sold out since i arrived in september but this guy i was dandering to the pub with was handed the tickets by a random in the street - LEGEND, but it gets better the third guy i was at the gig with was a senior UN offical, a canadina guy working for the UN in bulgaria...

I was meeting up with Brendan Tougy(aka the crazy old guy aka the white rabbit), and he bought dinner for me, this guy mark (involved in SUAS a charity that gets students to go and do development for 3 months in the summer, he had gone to calcutta 2 years ago and was helping co-ordinate last year) and Mike a guy who went ack to re-do he leaving cert.(A levels) after a degree in social science to try out his theories or alternatie learning methods. We then headed to the pub to meet 2 of the leaders from SUAS with a guy who had a phd in learning and comp sci - who works with the UN and was hosting this guy Uli(the UN dude who came to the gig) who was over interviewing ppl for JPO positions(work in the UN for a couple of years). So after we had all had a pint Mark, Uli and I headed off to catch the Patrol, who were definately rocking the Olympia :)

so praise the Lord for more adventure, free food, gigs and pints.. LIGHT UP LIGHT UP

my best mate from uni joe just got engaged!!! i was totally freakd out, the whole marrige thing scares me, big time. and they are so young etc etc, but then i was thinking about what the bible has to say about it, and read eph5 below

eph 5 v25 -
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing[2] her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

this might sound a bit dramatic but i have never seen these verses lived out quite like Mare and Joe over the last year. i am obviously young naieve and dont have a clue about relationships but the leap of faith it takes to say yes i want to marry you while i am still young before we have lived together for 5 years and proved we can earn enough money to afford it etc etc strikes me as a great adventure, the sort of the thing that love illogical and wild as it is would prompt. so go for it you too i am privleged to be part of your best man double act, this is going to be beautiful

faster than a rocket,

i was in southampton at the weekend but i felt more like 30 mins or 1 hour

off the plane to michelles's for a cup of tea, on the big Chris's to watch the passion and pray for a couple of hours. rock up at 57 portswood (my old house mates new house) at 3:15am and the party starts or rather the rumble, 7 of us in a no shirts no shoes brawl, to bed around 5, up about 11 massive fry up, watch film supersize me (really good, fast food is a bad as whiskey for your liver!) off to the beach back, out by dinner, cook a massive stir fry for 12 with a little help from my friends, out to the UNABOMBERS in Sobar (quite good but never took their set anywhere) drunk far too much dancing, back to 57 another big ruckus, i got my boxers wedgied right off *ahh* up to bed up at 9am off to ELF for loads of great quality God stuff inc. prophecy over me, grab my crap get in the car straight to the airport....... whew

didnt see half the ppl i wanted to be but didnt see those i did for half the time i wanted to either. i think ill go for a week next time :)

since then been sitting under my tree, might get baptisted and met Brendan again, this old man who works for the gov. and UN and is really cool. talking away to him about faith stuff and he reckons i am here on a mission... head wreking to say the least
now i gotta fly
peace
(need some)
g

just a wee pic for anyone who has forgotten what i look like of that i own a fine russian hat 

yo de mc yoderson
hows it goin
sorry for general lacking of posting or late
i have no real excuse seing i have all the time in the world, or used to anyway...
life has busied up a bit since the quietness of my first month or so. i keep going a different place each weekend which means monday is tiredness, and friday is going away after work so that only leaves 3 nights and i have waterpolo and a bible study on two of them but i am jacking the bible study for a pub quiz tomorrow... i really like the ppl at the bible study or most of them anyway but the vibe is a little old skool and i am cant avoid being influenced in a way that i am not feeling. ie its making me a self/works centered.
LOVED the weekend in belfast, chilled on friday with parents in a really good we like each other kinda way(it has been a bit rock cause of me sitting on my ass for far too much of the summer) anyway its was cool. then saturday met Ben jamin then went out to cape town reunion, which was with church in summer 03, mainly the olds showed but they are really cool olds and funny aswell. after that i arrived at shines 9th birthday at about half 12 and the bouncers werent letting ppl with stamps back in! i had no ticket and wasnt that determined to get it... well thats what i had told myself walking down, hearing the tunes pumping through the concrete i decieded to take a walk round the back looking for an open door... eventually i saw an open window, on the 2nd floor, but there was a ladder up to a ledge i could pull myself up to the the first floor from. So tryign to get a 999 feeling out of my head i pulled myself up on a metal guttering and crawed across the top of the madella hall (which alter egos rocker was on - sweet) then pulled myself in a window with the help of a couple of the friend shiners and i was in :)

dj hell for 3hrs on halloween the sense of irony was not lost as for the first time i felt like i saw an angel who then opened the ceiling the let the Glory of God shine in :) a very beautiful and special moment.

i did later set off a speed camera driving someone up to get poppers for an after party (now theres a tricky decision, do i give my friend a lift if i know they are going to collect drugs?) so the night wasnt all a holy lovlyness but it was over all excellent.

I am totally re-affirmed that the clubs are dying for a massive move of God, that the dancefloor rather than the church meeting is where we are free to worship and dance as hard as we can(a la david) and that sitting around until its tomorrow is a great way to spend time with your friends.
i was also struck by the effort some of my friends put into getting "wapped" - totally druged up, there are normal ppl so to be risking a criminal conviction to buy the expensive stuff, and then be prepared to spend 9 or 10 hours plying your body with what you know is going to make you feel like absolute crap the next day, is a real commitment to the cause, it is a social thing but its personal too. Like at the end of the day, 24-7 rooms aside, are we prepared to get together with a few mates and seek God's face enjoy His presense and experience His Spirit(which we would(rightly) all claim to be a better feeling than any chemical high) for even a few hours knowing that will not in the least bit be hung over but rather probably be in the best form the next day?

maybe im ranting, and just sitting around looking for a high from God is not really what Jesus was about, but maybe there is room for a little more celebration, and generally as far as my limited understanding of history goes, was it not from these type of gatherings that God launched many a new move?

please comment or email me

strange,
good, indifferent,

its kinda wierd being here at the minute, i have quite a lot of free time, but i keep catching myself running round trying to fill it like a mad man. and then i just chill with Him and its pretty awesome. i feel a little isolated, i have met some cool christians but their blend aint quite the same. i was at an awesome bible study last night and its was all about temptation, which couldnt have been more appropriate seeing as i have had to go back to day 30 of my course because was a wanker. anyway it was great and there were some really mature christains there (both in age and walk well like a couple were 40 ish but some ppl my age too) but they seemed to talk through some stuff i would have felt a bit more comfortable praying about. not really as part of the bible study but after, there were talking about a monthly christian event they put on. it sounds really cool and 100 ppl were at it at the weekend, which is pretty cool seeing as they as a cell sorta thing just decided to do it. but someone had said they should do some prayer ministry and they chatted about it but never made a definate decision. but they were really cool and welcoming. but like i say still feeling a little isolated havent met anyone of the 24/7 vibe just yet.

did meet a really cool old lady with a hunch back called irene who was on the way to a healing mass - legend. the diversity of roman catholasism (cant spell) has confirmed my feelings that it is a legendary denmonination and i might not agree with all the doctrine but then i definately dont agree with all the doctrine of the presbyterian church i grew up in or city life for that matter :) so i am chilling and a peace with God but need accountability, trist was chatting about doin it over email, which is a possiblity but i would at least like a mentor of something. i would really like to be chilling with a prophet, but then he probably already knows that :) maybe

its also a bit wierd to be working and living alone, its not really real because its for the year but i never thought id like to do this; like be a nice christian guy living on his own for the rest of well who knows. probably just an irrational fear but there we go

so thats all i have to say at the minute
peace

actually pray for the american elections in 1 month, a baby with a tumor at the top of its spine, two kids 12 and 14 whos single mum just dropped dead, and my ryan air flight to be on time so i can go to elf next monday night.

its scary to enter the battle field

to go to a club on the premis that we like each other and try and communicate Christ.
is it madness, with work the next day and life to play, but no "make the most of every
opportunity"eph5,16(context live WISE) did Christ wait until we all turned round and went
we need you? "For While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the unGodly"rom5
i am weak at the minute which means in Him i can be strong. please pray for grace and His power

One week in dublin

hows it goin? i have just finnished my first week in dublin, my first full time job in an office. Its actually not as bad as I thought in fact i might even go so far a to say it was a great week. Not just work but being in dublin going out with a few friends and just the totally new experience.

I am living with family friends about 35mins out of the city on the Dart, the kinda over ground tube. They are really sound and Owen is just finnished a masters, mike has just finnished first year at UCD and ruth is doing her leaving cert(A levels) so there is plenty of craic.
Tonight i am going out with Mike to a girl's 21st but he went to a very fancy school so this girl has hired out a big castle on a hill and apparently there will be a free bar for 1hour. Nice
I have been enjoying the guinness, probably a bit too much but the Lord has been gracious

Its weird to be starting a whole new adventure with out some of you guys, it will be a bit different in october when i move into my flat and my two friends for my gap year come back to trinity. i think i will really miss southampton and all the people there, belfast is a bit differnet too with everyone growing up and moving on

as an aside the last night in belfast with Prime Cuts and Plus One from the Scratch Perverts was UNREAL they tore the house down. There was a genius moment when after some really incrediable hip-hop trickery Mark said "they could do with turning it up a notch"
45mins later the place was going absolutly crazy to some rough drum and bass OH YES OH YES and for the second time in as many weeks i felt like i couldnt physically dance hard enough to do the music justice.

yeah so anyway... my hip has been not too good most of the summer, and i had been taking stronger tablets twice a day for a good while but this week i cut it to one a day and am feeling great so hopefully in a couple of weeks i will be back to normal Praise the Lord

take it easy
g

just a wee quote from the course i am still doing -genius

I often run to the Word of God for help. "You, Oh Lord are a Strong Tower, a Sure Defense against my Foe."

I seek to destroy the enemy when he first peeks his head around the corner. BAM! Hit him hard initially. By this, I mean, as soon as I sense an uprising of temptation, I open my Bible, or I begin singing a hymn or I call or email my wife or a friend. Be aggressive in the initial stages of temptation.

Havent got it all figured out just yet...

it has been occuring to me over the last week that i really dont have a clue/ cant understand loads of stuff and it just hurts my head to try. so i have come up with a new simpler philosphy for each day;
all i can do is seek God's face and be obedient to Him.
I cant work out why that happened in russia, i cant work out how my friends are going to get to know God, i cant really understand myself a lot of the time but right now that doesnt matter, and even if i did know it all and did some incredible thing if my motives were wrong its meaningless.. so just asking God and trying to listen and do it is enough.

last night a ballynahinch was incredible, it was like all the stuff God has been saying to me this last year and summer was rolled into one serivce and it felt like God was shouting not talking, very intense... so i think i want to be a prophet when i grow up, or i think God wants me to try and work out what that means and see where it takes me... all prayers welcome

SHOUT TO AT THE CEILING TILL GOD FILLS THE ROOM

"When the time comes that you have children and grandchildren, put on years, and start taking things for granted, if you then become corrupt and make any carved images, no matter what their form, by doing what is sheer evil in GOD's eyes and provoking his anger--
I can tell you right now, with Heaven and Earth as witnesses, that it will be all over for you. You'll be kicked off the land that you're about to cross over the Jordan to possess. Believe me, you'll have a very short stay there. You'll be ruined, completely ruined.
GOD will scatter you far and wide; a few of you will survive here and there in the nations where GOD will drive you.
There you can worship your homemade gods to your hearts' content, your wonderful gods of wood and stone that can't see or hear or eat or smell.
But even there, if you seek GOD, your God, you'll be able to find him if you're serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul." deut 4 25-29

"But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him." sam 14v14

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." jer 29v11-13

just did a bit of a make over, hope you like the new look,
;)

yo
just a short one, got down to dublin and checked out my flat to be which is really cool, has loads of room and is in a proper old house with character etc.
also met a guy Phil who lives and works and is starting to go to a cool church down there. he works for the salvation army which is cool cause i would like to maybe get involved... i threw a couple of euro in a homeless guys cup but felt it was more for my conscience than because i actually cared about him...

ps if you fancy some legally free house music checkout audio families i saw a sticker for it in the uber-cool DC10 club in ibiza and there are 3 free mix cds available.

also found tibal generation which is a cool network of churchy stuff in club culture, which is something i am getting into

peace

THANK YOU

to everyone who was praying for me and the team. i just got back yesterday and have begun realising just how much God has done and how the prayers of the saints (you) have been answered. its hard to quantify all thats happened, both to the island and in my heart, but it has been an adventure of epic proportions with God showing His awesome charater, power and love.

many people heard the gospel, were prayed for, some were healed, we saw visions and prophesied, prayed and cried. the churches were further united i met some truly inspiring people and clubbed like never before.

it was not without struggles and troubles, cars didnt show up for trips, plans were changed and re-changed, we didnt know what was going to happen until it did, from a personal point of view the ibethenco attitude to bearwear or total lack of, was difficult, more grace was required for repeating myself again and again to people who either werent used to my mumblings or english was not their first language.

but in the end we got there, i gave it 100% and did my best to be obedient
so the rest is in God's hand's so again THANK YOU ALL

yo the world

ibiza is mental
we are all loving it
there have been some crazy things going on with the prophetic people who are here all summer seeing angels ready for battle, a big prayer meetings with ibizian churches and loads of people really wanting to know about God who are working in the west end.
personally its really stretching, a friend said she thought the bit in daniel 3 when shadrach meshech and abendigo were in the fire would be appropriate for my time here and she was right! but the forth man in the furnace is definately with me now too.

please pray for:

faith and unity in the team, its hard to keep trusting in God when the odds seem so stacked against us

alan, a PR from a bar who has invited me to go on a boat for a day to talk about God

gemma another girl who was PRing but got fired but is currently having lunch with 2 of the team cause she really wants to hear about God

cheers
i can really feel u guys who are with us in prayer, it is making a huge difference

yo
made it to san an in ibiza. we are staying in a sweet wee hotel a little north of the west end(infamous few streets of bars and general debauchery aka mission field)
so its all good, team in good form we had a day to chill yesterday, then saw probably the most beautiful sunset, at cafe mambo despite the fact the beach i was sitting on was about 10% sand 90% concrete! one of the ngm guys has a residency at a bar called sugar sea further down the sunset strip so we chilled out to him doing some really good djing, highlight was him dropping "rappers delight" and then cutting it to "last nigth a dj saved my life" then back to "rappers delight" then "you gotta keep moving" genius. anyway did a beach clean this morning then handing out beach ashtrays and free fruit later as a door to starting conversations... all prayers needed

heading off on sunday,
feeling fairly ill prepared, to really ill prepared, just havent really been focusing myself, have let the "noise" of life and worrying get in the way but really looking forward to God and what He is gonna do there, but i really dont want this to be another mission trip, where i go its great i come home its bad, looking forward to dublin too, got news of salary today which is awesome, please pray for wisdom.


http://24-7ibiza.2feetmedia.com/ is the official 24/7 blog

this is a general overview of all that is going on

peace

the down and ups

still going on the way of purity course which is cool but had some downs and ups this week

thursday nite after work went to a party for one of the girls leaving, its was cool to meet some people and find out one of the guys who was really welcoming to me is a Christian, but ended up at a house party drunk and kissed two differnet girls, really annonyed at myself for lots of reasons but it was a mixture of wanting to get in with this new group of people as well as tiredness and drunkeness and lust, weak
spent a lot of friday sleeping and then calling out to God for freedom.

saturday went to Shine(night club in belfast student union but good) kinda of unsure about what was going to happen but detirmed to not get drunk, Phil Kernan played an amazing set and i just felt really close to God on the dancefloor and free to worship, i was trying to find the bit in the bible that talks about Jesus being Lord of the Dance, but without sucess, but anyway thats what it felt like, as usual the pillheads couldnt stick the dancing pace Holy Spirit 1 extacy 0 :)
the ensuing house party was typically mental with the house still in full swing at 5am an american frat boy showing up, the room was a bit hot boxed and i probably stayed too long (6:45) so missed church this morning but Praise the Lord we are on track for Ballynahinch(another church) later on :)

i got a phone call yesterday from similarity systems in dublin, they are happy to "take be on board" for a placment year next year :)

its sort of strange, i always thought i would be doing this right from last march time, but then it took so long i thought it wasnt going to happen, and i got quite used to that idea, i have some really great friends on 3 year courses who i will miss they're final years and probably not see a lot of them ever again.  which is really crap.

i never like to get settled in one place, it keeps me more reliant on God, cause i know He is the constant that nothing in this world is, so maybe its for the best, maybe its not, but He is in charge and that is what i want my life to be

 

yo,
just want to give God some glory for how He showed up last night,
i was out in the limelight with everyone cause maeve and rory are back.  i was drinking a few stella and then the ususal stuff started happening with girls but this time it was different when it got to that moment where i was going to kiss them, i was able to resist, when i was on the dance floor i just found myself jacked into God praying and speaking in tongues(just to between me and God) and then we got back to 32(the party house) and this girl another house mates' friend was totally wasted on drink and pills and trying to shag anything that moved, she ambushed me on the way back from the toilet but again God was there giving me a way out of the tempatation, and then at about 5 i went to sleep in jenny's bed and it was totally cool, just slept at the other side of the bed didnt touch her or try to kiss her or anything (i know that's what u'd expect but if you rem some of my other blogs from this year this is pretty much miraculous :) so although i came home tired and did have a few beers, there was no sexual sin and all because of God's grace and the way He has been inpacting me throught the bible and teaching on the Purity course on settingcaptivesfree.com not that this course is a solution but it is showing me bits of the bible to help that i didn't even know where there, or how bits i thought i knew really relate
so Praise the Lord
i am only on day 16 of 60 so please pray for perseverance aswell :) 

alright
hows it goin?
im doing pretty excellently to be honest :) working away at a couple of different jobs, most comically i was a security guard yesterday! i have got a job in roast the coffee shop, so hopefully i can get lots of hours there and see a few ppl i know.  still doing my pure freedom course on settingcaptivesfree.com which is tough but good, to think that God can free me from the gloom and darkness (pslam 107) is totally amazing, i have been shocked by how much understanding of sexual temptation etc, God shows in the bible, another "not available in sunday school" revelation. 

the best 4 days ever

was over in guildford for the 24/7 mission team training(i am going to ibiza on the second team in august)
and it was INCREDIABLE never before have i been surrounded by so many normal genuine people, who are just absolutely addicted to Jesus
initally to think that God would use this bunch of wasters to carry out something of His will in Athens, Barcalona, Brazil, Ediburugh, Inappa, Serbia, Ibiza and Newquay seemed ridculous
but as we considered God's rescue plan for the world: have His Son live with a 12 very ordinary flawed guys tell them to tell other people, die and rise again, it gave me hope that maybe a few people commited to pray and follow God's voice could actually make an impact in the most unlikely of places
indeed, as people spoke of the moravians, celts, reformers and those who had seen revival in church history it seems God loves to move in losers and weirods to His Glory

so aswell as feeling closer to God than ever,
i come away with a hope that God is moving in europe
and that you can live the dream, its not just a teenage phase or a student indulgence
but that life can be chasing after Him

Christianity is a realtionship with GOD,
with God, if it doesnt turn our world around what will, no other relationship we can have, will have required someone to die to allow it to happen,
let alone need God's own son to die.
i feel so useless i cant even make 30mins for Him in a day, He made eternity, He provides my food, my bed, job, money, everthing for me and then I put it all ahead of Him
sort it out, in His power, love and strength, but also with me trying not to be better but getting up and walking away from the tv, extending quiet times when they feel dry not shortening them (St. Ignatius)
making the effort with people not just sitting around waiting for God to magic me, without me having to do anything whatsoever
take up my cross not sit on my ass

alright
just got a job with tesco's cold store distrabution, going 4 training tomorrow but i think it involves lots standing in a cold warehouse loading things off a convayer belt, nice :)
the pay isnt great but its work and thats the main thing, majorly in debt but no too stressed about it,
apart from that started a setting captives free course for freedom from sexual immorality which is awesome
motivated by another messy night on friday, it simply cant go on, but for God's glory not mine
anyway for those who might be interested i have also uploaded two articals on masterbation as a sin,
here and here
i havent read the first one but the second seemed to be making sense,
and seeing as its so hard to get a word out of the church about this sorta stuff i thought id put them up

keep it real
graham

back in belfast

just got back last night, good to be home eating nice food, hoping to get some work before going to Ibiza with 24/7 mission
looking forward to seeing everyone i have been missing

wierd new layout to blogger,
anyway

it rained like crazy the other day when i was walking home, i was pretty much soaked
by the time i got to the house so deciedee to enjoy it got house mate trist and next
door neighbour Nick out. played rugby and tried to wakeboard a huge puddle. love it

apart from that working did some photos at a ball, not really excellent, didnt really
know the camera i was using very well but had fun and got a really good
one of me and a few friends

considering the theology of drunkeness recently;
not exactly mainstream, but interesting,
why did God design us with the capacity to get drunk? is it an abuse of what he has
given us possible because of free will? or is it a gift designed so that we can experiecne
the Holy Spirit but instead abused by substituing the Spirit with alcohol
verses:
eph 5 v18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Acts 2 v13 just after pentecost
Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine

one of the main things that got me thinkin was a prayer of
Saint Ignatius from his book of Spiritual excercies
which asks "Blood of Christ inebriate me" and in the dictionary inebriate says drunk, but he wrote that several hundred years ago to maybe the meaning has changed slightly?

checkout
dance trippin
awesome site with free videos of excellent DJ sets and mixes and scratch competitions

back again not just two posts and nothing :)

awesome time on friday,
mates 21st went out in african fancy dress after a bbq at the house to a beer festival, but then went to do a watch..

the watchmen, is a thing a first year friend of mine has set up in his halls its an all night prayer night where a few guys cover 10pm to 8am in 4hr watches, its pretty harcore and spiritual warefare is it focus

unfortunately i turned up from the beer festival with a couple of beers on so slept it off for a couple of hours on a guy called andy balls(real name) floor. Anyway in the prayer was pretty awesome the guys involved are really inspiriational, and there was a guy we were praying for who had just been admitted to a phyicatric ward of a hospital for hear voices in his head, but he is a christian who isnt really on fire and his mates have been having in seonces (non God centered spiritual meetings) in the room above him, so basically we were all praying to that the voice would go and his realtionship with God would be fully restored. But it was pretty crazy/cool to be putting on spiritual armour of ephesians cause u really felt u needed to take what ur praying for on.

apart from that been doing LOTS of work, slowly, managed to make some yoghurt from a cup of milk i left in my room too long and saw a friend get baptised

alright

i have to do a 10 minute talk on faith for a course i am doin with church, i was just wondering if any of you had any thoughts verses or insights?
leave them in the comments thanks

apart from that i am trying to work hard for my course, went to a sports ball with waterpolo on tuesday night which was great fun, and I have applied to do a 24/7 mission team in ibiza in august


i have been reading read moon rising about the 24/7 great book but at the back it uses Jesus sending out the 72 as a model for mission:
luke 10 1-9
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[1] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

but at the end of luke's gospel Jesus goes on to say: luke 22:35-37
5Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?"
"Nothing," they answered.
36He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'[2] ; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."

my question is this; how much does this second statement affect the first ie is the model in luke 10 still relivant? is it short sighted to solely consider it? or was this final statement of Jesus more a footnote to the earlier time that its gonna be harder but keep at it?

thanks g

pray for the pornstars

watched the passion of the Christ last night...

it fairly blew my mind, really disturbed me. cried for some bits but just left the cinema feeling stunned, knew no-one would be up when i got in so went to friends for a cup of tea and some mind numbing friends on dvd.

i am not quite sure why i am feeling what i am, i really liked how crazy Jesus seemed when we was on His way to death and was telling mary "I make all things new" it gave me confidence in when what i am doing seems totally carzy by the worlds standards... also was scared by the presence of satan in many of the scenes, really made that verse in peter
"Be self­controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
come to life.

but i still feel pretty uneasy about the whole thing, maybe i had kidded myself that it didn't cost so much for Jesus to die, that when i choose my own way its not really that big a deal. its funny cause i wanted to do photographs of someone madeup to look just like He would have looked on the cross, i desired a true representation of what He went through, but now i have seen it, it shakes me to my core.

at one point just before he is whipped He says "My heart is ready Father"... i dont think my heart is... and yet as the film shows Jesus saying at the last supper
"Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.'[ 15:20 John 13:16] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also."

i know that not everyone is called to martydom or extreme physical suffering, but i had been reading Brother Yun's "Heavenly Man" and Jesus Freaks vol2(a record of martyrs) and i think i was thinking it would be pretty cool to be in some of those situations, but now i realise it would be incredabily difficult.

i have felt God tellin me to take how i live my life more seriously, focusing on grace not leagalism but considering more seriously staying sober and 1 thes 4 v 3-
It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body[1] in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
1. 4:4 Or learn to live with his own wife; or learn to acquire a wife

all prayers as ever appreciated

alright the world
sorry for the delay to anyone who has been checking, so thats probably you because you have now checked again, unless you were playing guess a blog address, anyway...

just got back from kenya was staying at a friend from uni's house with 5 other friends, it was banterful to say the least, also a little extreme with

kite surfing
wind sufting
surfing
wake boarding
scuba diving
sailing

the climate there is also amazing, 30-40 degrees all the time all day, like sittin in the house at night in shorts and t-shirt was too hot. felt amazing blessed and undeserving of such a wonderful place and holiday. grace
the generosity and hospitality of al's parents was AMAZING he lost his passport so we showed up to meet them for the first time 5 fellas. And they gave us beds and food and let us drive their cars and use their phones and internet and drink their cokes and beers and sail their boats etc
they arent christians but their kindness was incredable...
went to church in a local village with the two house maids, it was a totally different world the welcome we recieved at the church was incredable, they moved down on the front seat and continued the rest of the service with a translator from swahili to english! just for us! and got us to stand up and introduce ourselves and fed us afterwards incredable so close the to Jesus instructions, very challeneging for back here ...
read 24-7 red moon rising, highly recommmend it, definately want to do an ibiza team this summer
pl;ease pray for guidance and wisdom as to how to organise my summer and finances as i want to work for the money and will need to be *very* disciplined in spending this term to afford it.

before i left i destroyed my relationship with beth in a night of drunkeness and cruelty to quote the song i cant quite remember now...
i am also goin to do st. ignatius' spiritual excercises which are totally amazing, practical way to live a life of serious hoyliness but i think i need to find a priest to lead me in it... a great adventrue waiting there

oh and for those with a sense of humor could someone send me the computer science student an email on how to get shout outs working !!!

hows it goin?
just a qucik one
tribute must go to Jonny Cousins, the legend continues

if you are frustrated by your continual inability to stay near God for a second click here

crash and burning...

stuff has gone a bit wrong recently, i once again turned my back on God, refused to seek his face, thought i knew best and messed everthing up

now closer to Him realising that He has the best for me, not trying to control me but set me free from my own selfish deciptive heart.

reading the blogs below is encouraging seems like a different place but cool.

upset and frustrated at the same failures especially when someone else is involved and i had decided never to make those mistakes again...

but i am fallen and had been missing accountability and drinking just a bit too much a bit to often, being influenced by what i thought i "should be doing" not what i felt or maybe even wanted.

sometimes it takes a while to learn the lesson, I pray that this time it is learned...

to Him who was and is and is to come be the glory honour and praise

yesterday at the 24.7 gathering, it was pretty cool, in fact it was awesome, God really showed up challenged me, and made me cry which was really good, because i have a problem letting emotion show, brother Yun was there, if you havent read his book "The heavenly man" i really recommend it.

God is really on the move...

www.boohbah.com for endless giggles, probably the best internet site i have been on :)

its really cool what happened with beth over christimas, but it was totally God's will, timing and plan. i.e i have friends who i have been praying for, for as long as i have been a christian and they have shown no outward signs of being even interested in God.
i kinda felt like i should put that up cause i know its really hard when someone very close to you, seems very far from God.

"Embracing what God does for you is the greatest thing you can do for Him" Romans 12 message about v2

"If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1john 1v9

"it feels like i have found something in my life that has been missing"

PRAISE THE LORD
OH YEAH

the quote is from a gril called beth, who by the awesome power and mad skills of God is now in relationship with Him. i have been incredabliy privleged to watch His miracle of salvation up close.


re-wind
carol service is really pushed at cu as an evangelisitc opportunity, beth attended was touched but an fine piece of preaching, she talked to her friend Krisha about how she felt, Krisha (a non-christian friend from halls) told me beth wanted contacted about cu and God stuff. i txt her, got the whole church to pray for her and fearfully went to meet her at her house, God really showed up and we chatted freely about some really deep stuff, especailly for ppl who had just met for the first time... i gave her a Message translation of the new testament, john stott's basic christianity, and a gospel truth/pagan lies book (which i hadnt read - a bad plan)
she said she'd read them over christmas.
God really gave me a burden to pray for her, first time in ages i had felt like that
stayed in contact via txt she had questions about homosexuality and suicide, difficult stuff
BUT
tonight she was meant to come to eat with my house but couldnt because of an eassy and having to go home tomorrow, so i called round and ...
it was amazing to hear her talk of God, without jargon or cliches just a pure collection with the almighty
she has now read all the books and up to matt 7 and is talking about changing her whole lifestyle, ambitions and outlook, so cool, and really challenging : )

and the beauty of if all was it was just her, God and a bible. no evanglistic strategy, no pictures of a gap and a cross, just Jesus whispering into the heart of one who honestly looked for Hiim...
COME ON

please please pray for God's will in her new life with Him, and also for her brother...


"thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"