How often have other Christians used these words when times in your life are hard, finances short or relationships in strife? It’s become often used as a spiritual band-aid, allowing people to sound as though they have something important and encouraging to say when friends are struggling with Life, The Universe and, well frankly, Everything! Because this scripture is used so often, we can often forget the Truth and Power that lies within…. and start to get angry when they it’s trotted out when things are getting tougher by well-meaning friends and family. One can even start to question whether these great words actual mean what they say…..

Despite what people do, however, it doesn’t stop the scriptures speaking the truth, even when we believers don’t feel it does. We must remember the second half to that verse:

…..to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Which is where I find myself as I write this update – in my new Starbucks in the City of Dunfermline! As of August 2011 Judith and I relocated to our new home here in the Kingdom of Fife, about 20 miles North of Edinburgh (check out the new address at the bottom of the page). Our new house is everything we could have hoped for and a real and genuine answer to much heartfelt prayer over the last couple of years. It has also been something that so many of you have spoken about, prayed over and prophesised about during this time – a period of struggle, doubt and questioning followed by a move of God in a new direction and as a fulfilment of God’s promises over the years.

And how!!

Selling our old home in 8 weeks and at a decent price, despite the buyers being in a field of one. Finding a new house, perfect to our needs, needing no money spent on it and at an amazing fixed price. Making enough money on the sale to keep our mortgage at its existing level and terms as well as being able to buy a decent 2nd hand car (which hasn’t broken down yet!!) and to be able to spend money on furniture for almost the very first time in our lives. Having money available to clear our daughters financial position when her circumstances changed overnight and she had to move job/home/life in 24 hours. New jobs for both Judith and myself and new openings not just in Fife but amazingly across the region, after a real period of drought in finding work – and much of it is even paid….I have even had an approach from a group of local kids wanting to set up an American Football team in Dunfermline….

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1)

And all this in less than 3 months…..God is so good and His timing is perfect…absolutely….all the time. Let me encourage those of you in your own struggles with God or Life – stick with it, don’t give up on Him and continue in your daily struggle knowing that He will see you through

All of this has come off a fairly lean time – the 2010 rebrand failed to make a new impact amongst the churches and Christian community, and I have found myself increasingly linking with those groups who were willing to work with me in the secular world. These partnerships have been the main building blocks of the work over the last year or so, with regular school access and coaching opportunities across the Lothian’s area. As a direct result I am now working with the Edinburgh Wolves American Football Club as their u-19 Development Officer, fronting up all schools and community work for the club, as well as serving on their committee and helping run their u-17 and u-19 teams as coach, minibus driver and team judge. We are currently working on launching new u-17 teams in other parts of the local area, notably Dunfermline, Livingston and possibly in Galashiels or Bonnyrigg. I am also entering my second year as Offensive Line Coach with the Edinburgh Napier Knights University team.

I also attended the inaugural meeting of the Scottish American Football Youth Forum recently at Stirling University, which aims to bring together the coaches, supporters and teams across Scotland to help develop the sport and improve the level of performance both on and off the field. It’s a really exciting time for the sport with huge opportunities coming in 2012 for young people involved.

All of this seems very impressive on paper, but I count it all as nothing without God’s plan purpose and direction. Everything I do needs to line up with His calling and plan for my life, and there have been long periods of doubt and questioning in this area over the last year or so – the great battle of what it means to walk the Christian life in the real world. Learning to walk the walk, preaching not in words but by actions, approach and love to those that we’ve all been given to work with and take care of. It’s not easy.

I have discovered that becoming a Christian is easy……..living like one is the hard bit. Our lives over the last 18 months have been God showing us the challenge of living in His Kingdom…the impossible challenges of the life of The Christ, the impossible Hope of what His death on the cross gives us and the impossible possibilities involved in the acceptance of His resurrection. My challenge is to now accept what this can mean in the next months and how this knowledge will change not just what I do, but also what I expect God to be able to do!!! To focus on what we have, not on what we don’t and to see God at work instead of looking for excuses and reasons not to drive forward.

To some of you this is old hat – been there, done that – but for those of us who haven’t experienced this revelation before it’s pretty darn exciting. Experiencing the Kingdom by living in the Kingdom (of Fife, for those of you who don’t know) – it’s going to get more and more interesting.

We live in a consumer society where the very concept of delayed gratification is a nightmare to every marketing man and women. Our whole modern lifestyle is built upon having what we want, when we want it. Hence drive through, 24 hour and pcik up and go. Everything from unmanned check outs to credit card operated fuel pumps – all to help us pack ever more into our busy and never ending lifestyles.

The Religious idea of ‘Sabbath’ was always designed to apply a break to our endless work, a day to rest and comtemplate God but also a day where what we DONT do is more important than what we DO do….I know many, many people who could do with inserting the concept of ‘sabbath’ into their weekly schedule, just simply to stop, smell the flowers (or coffee!) and take stock.

BUT were not dealing with this, but with the resulting chaos the endless 24/7 society has with us. We have become people who cant wait for resolutions, promotions, new ‘stuff’, relatinships – its all about the ‘here and now’…..if it doesnt work out then we bin it and move on, or change something. Or set off in another direction. Doesnt often seem to matter which direction, just anything that isnt ‘here’…and its not confined to people. Sports teams want success so badly they’ll just keep changing managers, or players, or styles or leadership – ignoring the simple fact that stability and long term patience is the BEST way to build success. Same applies with business or partnerships.

Ive been going through a season of waiting…and its been almost unbearable. Seeing so many useful opportunities open up, and yet have none of them develop or come to fruition has been driving me crazy. Yet each time I try to step out and chase them down they slip through my fingers…..only where I have waited and shown patience for things to come to fruition have I seen success. If I was doing this stuff on my own I would have given it all up as a bad job months ago.

But Im not on my own…..My faith is grounded in a God who cares, who restores, who blessess and who fulfills His promises. Not a distant bearded dude who set the Universe in motion and then nipped off somewhere else, but a loving, caring, INVOLVED Father, who wants the best possible result for my life…..and that involves trusting that He knows the best time and the best direction for my life and ministry. AND means that I am gradually learning to wait PATIENTLY, EXPECTANTLY and, dare I say it, with EXCITEMENT for all the things He is going to lead me to.

Im ready for the new things coming….I got so much building up, that when the dam bursts Ive got enough things to do for several lifetimes!!…Im going to wait until I hear that still small voice say ‘Now! Go now!’ And when that time comes all that waiting is going to be worth it….

Its coming. Its coming soon! Want to come with me?
Then lets get ready……

Why? What is it about these bands that make the media ignore them? Rock music is currently one of the biggest grossing live scenes and yet most mainstream radio and print media simply pretends it doesnt exist – and when they do the mock at the fans, bands and the music in general. Even rock magazines like Kerrang, Q and Mojo are focused on the youth and new fashions.

It seems that what is real at work here is ageism – all of the bands I’ve seen are lead and made up of musicians well into middle age. And you could add Paul Rodgers & Bad Company, Motorhead, Deep Purple, Lynyrd Skynyrd…all vets, all playing at the highest level, all drawing packed crowds, and many producing some of their best NEW music in decades. And all roundly and regularly ignored – Paul Rodgers is the one exception to this, but then he had the fortune to join what’s left of Queen, and we all know that they are one of the few bands media seem to be unable to ignore (like U2, Muse or Radiohead). Check your local gig guide listing and its packed with rock tribute bands, new rock bands, spoof rock/metal/glam bands or the reformation of the latest ’80′s NWOBHM (go and look it up!) band….I mean Tysondog, anyone?

Only Classic Rock magazine has supported veteran bands to the hilt, and still finds time to sponsor new band tours, set up a record label for new bands and provide free online samples of music of all rock genres as well as free cd’s every month. It gives the musicians, music and fans respect – not mindless, empty headed, pack following sycophancy – whilst still providing honest assessment of the music old and new! What’s so hard about that?

Which brings me to Kiss.

Kiss are not one of my favourite bands. I dont own any albums (except the brand new one – which is most excellent) and had forgotten that I’d actually seen them back in the 80′s at the Newcastle City Hall, in their unmasked days. Yet I really looked forward to their show this time round as perhaps the last chance on seeing them live.

What a show! Despite both Simmons and Stanley being in their 5th Decade, they gave as good as most bands half their age. Despite a less than capacity crowd, the band entertained their lycra off, with blood splattering, fire breathing, flying vocalists, risers, bazookas, rocket firing guitars, explosions, and all to the groove of a four man rock machine, with fantastic harmonies….and great, I mean GREAT songs. With a closing trio of Love Gun, Black Diamond and Detroit Rock City and then a 5 song encore, including Lick It Up, I Was Made For Loving You, Rock N Roll All Nite and an awesome, awesome, awesome God Gave Rock n Roll To You…….2 hours of over the top entertainment, with a smile and ringing ears!

See them before they finally retire! AND subscribe to Classic Rock magazine!

A mixture of laziness, starting then getting distracted, Christmas, bugs and various illness, Starbucks, websites, fund raising, family…….but perhaps the awareness that regular blogging tends to drift into riding your daily hobby horse and not something more deep and meaningful has stayed my hand over the last few months when I have felt the need to actually sit down and RANT!

The Modern media world now allows people to instantly record their feelings and emotions without much time for thought or reflection….for some people, like say……Stephen Fry, this isnt much of a problem, because almost anything you have to say is essentially interesting. For others, well  folks quickly start to avoid reading, because the opinions or views are too often badly written, poorly thought out, or just frankly, well, dull. Im afraid many of my online friends who blog regularly too often fall into this category..and perhaps I do as well…but continue to churn the stuff out.

Those who know me in person know Im very rarely this reticent in person……*coughs*….a character flaw I have spent so many years trying to rein in (so imagine how bad I am when Im NOT trying….). However, I really didnt want to post here just for the sake of doing so and have kept clear until my mind felt it had ‘stuff’ to say.

So here we are. Already Spring is on its way and im preparing to head back into the schools with the launch of the new 1/2 term. I am about to spend nearly £4000 on football equipment for secondary schools and have a number of exciting projects bubbling under. The Toon are back on top of the Championship, the British American Football season lies ahead of us and Ive even got a few days off in the West Highlands to look forward too next week.

I only hope I can write about it all in a way that will keep you interested! Please tell me if it does….and even more importantly, if it doesnt!!

Actually only some of the above was true for out trip to South West France this month, and I have returned more relaxed, slightly sun tanned and ready to set about the Autumn.

Some thoughts and observations, just to cover the time it takes me to write something serious in here!

The French are friendly, open and welcoming outside Paris…we both speak a smattering of French but found that once that was exhausted most folk happily spoke a smattering of English. We were greated on the street warmly and can recommend the Drome area fully.
Fresh fruit, vegetables, bread and meat is an absolute joy..the processed rubbish most of us eat pales in comparison.
Strong European coffee is just amazing and with fresh pastry its even better!
The roads in the mountains are mind blowing!
It does rain in the South of France…but after its fallen the country becomes beautifully lush and green and the smell of life and growth is a reward beyond compare.
Ancient architecture…the beauty can move me to genuine tears. If you get to the South West get to Orange and go to the ampitheatre….stunning.
Quaint hill top villages and Romanesque churches can get boring….but quiet never does.

And that was the thing that touched me most – the peace and quiet of the rural place is so rewarding, so healing. We are surrounded by background noise at all points in our urban settings, even in the middle of the night, and true quiet is very rare. I believe that we need to get away from the noise of life regularly, find a quiet place and then sit in that space for as long as we need to let some of the tensions and frustrations of life pass away.

After 5 months our daughter has returned home (albeit breifly) on the completion of her DTS with YWAM in London (via Argentina!). This included being involved in Christian outreach right at the heart of the Notting Hill Carnival last weekend…not a place for faint hearts.

It’s been a tough time for us as parents – trusting God with our daughter – but she has shone in the last few months and has come home a better and more challenged person. Next stop? 3 months in Denver, Colorado and then perhaps 2 months on tour…….

Im also thankful for our holiday in France over the next 2 weeks….we couldnt afford a full price holiday, but a colleague of my wife has offered us her appartment in the Drome area of Southern France. Again we are so thankful for this gift – God is just so good!

We head out next monday and so will be away from all communication for 12 days! It’s a great blessing and our first proper holiday since 2006. Hopefully my injured shoulder will heal up, we will get sun and be able to chill out!

So if we dont respond to you, its nothing personal we’ll get back to you on our return!

I’ve seen all three of these events cause some debate in the last week and all based on whether we can believe what we are told or see. The age of the computer technology means that the filmed or photographed event is no longer trusted as we can simply mock up or fake reality so well that we can no longer know the difference. The written word is also no longer trusted as numberless journalists twist and turn their prose to fit a certain view or approach. Many have simply stopped trying and just make their stories up….And lets not get started about the inability of governments to tell the truth unless it suits them.

The latest video doing the you-tube rounds is the 100 foot water slide jump, with as many people being taken in as not. It’s a good fake, but a fake nontheless. Also recently posted is a video from a Bill Johnson conference. Johnson is a well known Christian evangelist who specialises in healing ministry. I know this film is true because I’ve talked to people who were there at the time.

The freeing of a convicted mass-murderer could yet bring down the Scottish government and possibly be the final nail in the UK governement as well. When convicted the press, media and commentators were united in their condemnation of Megrahi as the worst criminal of the generation. Yet over the years many have changed their view as evidence of bribery, witness corruption and the supression of evidence has been uncovered. And anyone who has seen David Blaine or Derron Brown in action knows you cant trust your own eyes!

So what do we believe if we cant trust what we see read or hear? Many have retreated into absoute scepticism and refuse to accept anything at face value…so we didnt land men on the moon and the the Holocaust becomes the biggest con trick in history. Others go on gut feeling and believe or not depending on how the mood takes them – or perhaps claim deeper knowledge based on their own intelligence or insight.

Three isolated events – how do you react to them? And, more importantly, why? I suspect that most of us will respond out of our own inbuilt prejudices, often without even knowing it. Becoming aware of our own prejudices is the first step to being honest about how we work and think.

Yet here I am 6 years later working with kids, albeit through the medium of sport. God has a sense of humour, but He also equips those he calls to ensure they can actually build the relationships necessary to start to influence the young people in this generation.

What was I like when I was 15? Hitting the pubs, hanging in groups on the streets, listening to loud music, waking folk up in the middle of the night with our loud chatter as we walked home….smoking, desiring the company of young ladies, rejecting the advice of my elders…..

Does this sound familiar to you? Is this what the vast majority of young people are doing in your locality? Yes some are aggresive and cause vandalism, others are taking drugs and causing problems in the community, but they are a TINY minority. The church seems to want young people to stop being young people and behave like good little christians…..all of this before they even come to faith or understand what being involved in a church community is about.

Remember what you were like when you were a young person? How messed up your thinking and beahaviour was? Didnt you experiment with drink or maybe drugs or chafe against the authority of adults? Why are we so intolerant of the very same things now we have ‘grown up’? Perhaps the first step to reconnecting to the young generations is to humble ourselves and remember that we were once very little different – only through God’s Grace do we now see and feel differently.

Next time you see a group of young people try and remember that you were once little different and smile!

Which brings me to my point…why is Edinburgh currently filled with Christian mission teams from all over the World? In a city that needs to hear the Gospel in new and exciting ways, it is so frustrating to see all these great folks preaching not to residents of Edinburgh but tourists and visitors…and most of these folks are here to have a good time, party and just generally whoop it up.

No wonder Edinburgh gets a rep for being a tough place to preach the Word….perhaps these groups should come and meet real people from Edinburgh and find out that the real city is far more welcoming and open.

I mean…..it would cost less to travel and stay, and there would be far less in the way of competing attractions. Seems common sense to me…