Over the last few days I have had the privilage leading the Derby YWAM teams staff days.  It’s a new beginning for them with new leaders and new staff.  We had three days of often deep encounter with God and hearing from Him.  The last day was a particularly memorable intercession time wherewe asked God to give afresh something of His heart for the nations to this small team.  Wow!  two hours of what I can only describe remarkable prayer went on for the Polish community, the Iranian community and China and Thailand.  Specific words, tears, groanings and a clear sense of breakthrough.

At the end of this time, the Lord’s presence seemed to descend on us to heal.  We prayed for five people, and saw God touch people.  The warmth of God came and took away pain in a shoulder caused by a cricketing injury.  We prayed for whiplash, backpain and also diviticulitis.

Myself, and a woman called Else, who were leading this time with them went home tired but thoroughly thrilled with what God had done.

People were gracious, things were moved and I was able to make it so that I could be at both during the week with a little moving things around.  Thank you Stephe and Donovan!

My time in Scotland was one of those times when you feel both great joy and an awesome responsibility.  It is a chance to input into YWAM leaders who are on the frontline of missions in places like Bangladesh, Slovakia and Myanmar, to name but three.

Kathryn, and two others came with me as my team and we taught, gave testimony and prayed from 9:30am until 8:30pm.  Wow, tired but with a sense of joy from God using us to bless these people we returned on a Virgin train on the Friday.

I am not aware that he is a man with faith, or even what he thinks of the afterlife. He speaks of choice in a way that I know many people in the world (and on work abroad with YWAM, I have met some of them personally) do not have. Many just have to try and make ends meet and get through the day being able to feed their families. but for those of us who have been placed by forces outside of ourselves, with the luxury of choice, Steve’s words I believe should make us at least think:

For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “no” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something… almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.