....and so this in Christmas.....2013 into 2014........

Chris writes: so this is Christmas and as the song says 'another year over and a new one to begin'  so how was 2013 for you? What has changed in your life? What will change in 2014 for you?

For us this time last year it would have been hard to imagine that as a couple we would be celebrating Christmas back in the UK, having been living in the Midlands, still with OM and working for Lifehope for 4 months. We felt God was calling us back last winter; we took some time out to pray and fast; pack and close our home in Gjakova, say all our goodbyes; put the Lighthouse and our vision into the hands of the locals: it is now run by a local young guy who we employ and we also have a treasurer; we returned here in mid June and spent 2 1/2 months travelling, praying and resting before finally moving here.

Since we have been here and in such a short space of time it really feels like home, even though we do not have our own home. We have been house sitting so have been paying minimal rent which we are sooo grateful for! Lorraine has had a major operation and is recovering well. We are now part of both a global family of people who are based here from all over the world and a local family who have cooked and cleaned for us for three weeks. I have also completed training sessions in mentoring and training trainers.

I now have a job at Lifehope and am able to train and equip internationals who come here to improve their English in church life and mission work. I am also involved in a night shelter which the churches in Birmingham are running for 8 weeks from January. Last week my two roles came together when i was asked to provide some entertainment at a meal which was being put on for the homeless & vulnerable in Birmingham. The students loved it and gave a powerful message in the drama which really spoke to some people.

Lorraine has just returned to work after her rehabilitation so is open to her next direction.

Phew what a year!!

We cannot take credit for this, the transition and the journey, what we have achieved and how peaceful and rested we feel can only be down to the peace and  grace of the Lord God Almighty, whose earthly arrival and birth among us that we celebrate tomorrow. It is to Him that all the glory must go. Amen.

From us both and from the bottom of our hearts we are so grateful to Him for that and to you for journeying with us and for your support and prayers.

...and to 2014....we know it presents more challenges as we need to increase our finances, find our own home and look further into family and further transition into life back here in the UK...we know it won't be easy but we have our journey thus far to look back on and nothing to make us think He will not be with us every step of the way as He has been so far.

I hope like us you also can celebrate Christmas having that special relationship as we have and seeing Him work in your life. I hope this Christmas will for you, be a truly Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

With Much love from us both xx

Still asking: What is a missionary??

Chris writes: having a really busy time at mo....currently on an OM course from last Tuesday until next Wednesday...really intense and long days...I really struggled with doing the course leaving Lorraine for so long on her own but she has supported me in it...am really glad that I did it and yes it is stretching me in all sorts of ways...really appreciate your prayers for me and for Lorraine on her own at home...pray that i can give and get the max out of it for the last three days.....really hope and pray that this will equip me further in my role at Lifehope as Team Life and Missions Coordinator....sounds very grand!

From previous blogs you will have read my thoughts regarding missionaries so this was a great quote some of you might know:

'A Missionary is not one who Crosses the seas but one who sees the Cross.'

Be blessed as you work out what that means for you!!  xx

Relentless love

Chris writes: over the summer have been (and indeed still am I'm afraid!) reading a  potentially life changing book. The book is by Brennan Manning who died earlier this year. The book is entitled: 'The Relentless Love of Jesus'.

For those that have not read it here are just a few of his words that I wanted to share with you:

'Jesus Says "You did not choose me; no, I chose you." These are phenomenal statements! What deity of any great world religion has ever spoken with such breathtaking tenderness, incredible familiarity, indomitable confidence, and spellbinding power!'

He writes that the Gospel is 'Scandalous'

He says: 'What Christian in his right mind would dare to speak of God in such human, earthly terms unless God Himself had used them first?'

'...God who cherishes and graces all people without qualification, a God whose whole and only desire is our happiness and fulfillment....our awareness of God is so flawed'

'Open yourself to my God whose passionate love is unreasonable and trust Him wholeheartedly.'

'Our life in Christ is not an easy thing to grasp. Maybe you only understand it by living it'.

And finally

'....B.C. 'Before Christ' and A.D. 'Anno Domini' - the year of the Lord - expresses a truth: the life of Jesus is the central event in human history according to which that entire history must be evaluated and judged.
The truth of Christianity is not a doctrine but a person. It is the reality of Jesus Christ......'

Do you know Him?

Be Blessed

..........not Missionaries!!??!!!

Chris writes: we have now been at Lifehope for almost two months and we are settling in and enjoying life being back in the UK and also being part of a larger team....Lifehope is one happy family (usually!) of people gathered from all over the world and with the different languages, people groups and cultures it represents it is amazing just how happy it is......that can only be God bringing all these people together........

.............. it seems that there is one word which is unhelpful for us to use however in our new stage of our journey: missionary!!  what is a missionary? Well, according to google: 'someone sent on a religious mission' especially 'one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign country' or another one: 'someone sent by Jesus'....hopefully that rings true to many of you.....no? then look at the end of at least the first three Gospels...the last words spoken by Jesus was to send His disciples....so....the truth is we are all called to be missionaries...over the garden fence, in our homes, in our schools, in our places of work, on the street...infact wherever we are.......

Understandably therefore it is hard for people to get the picture when we use this word to describe our role now that we feel we have been called back to the UK.....some people have asked when we will be getting a job..??...a paid job.....but the truth is we do have jobs....so what are we doing in Halesowen with OM???

I am working with the International Students who are in Halesowen to improve their English and am involved in the outreach side of their programme....facilitating the missionaries of the future... and yes it is a privilege!!

I hope to show you more pictures in the future but for now meet Ginny:

http://news.om.org/feature-article/r37944

..........this week we were on the streets in the centre of Birmingham doing outreach and evangelism with the students...now I am really out of my comfort zone ....how do our students feel!!

.....and Kosova...we are still praying and supporting and this month was given £1000 from a trust                  Praise God!!!

Lorraine will fill you all in on what she is up to in a later blog.......

...and to the future....we are looking firstly to change the name above to reflect that we still have Kosova in our hearts and yet are now continuing our adventures in UK.....we are also praying about our future in UK

..........please, please do pray and share any thoughts you have with us on any of the above......the ministry we have established in Kosova during our time there is built on your prayers and support...it is no different now we are back in UK....

Many blessings and thanks for praying and supporting us as we support and invest in what God is doing in Kosova and the UK

In Him

the Future....Missionaries in UK??

Chris writes: Port Issac is now a distant memory...we are in North Wales this weekend for a few days break visiting Lorraine's Father. We have had such a fantastic summer and have visited so many of our family, friends/supporters....but not all of them yet!! We have traveled from one side of UK to the other and back again.......to OM Birmingham, Halesowen....or the West Midlands (!!)..so we are now praying and trying to work out how our future is going to look here....of course only God knows the real answer to that one!!

We have now been in Halesowen for 2 weeks and are currently on an induction programme with a number of other singles and families joining at the same time....once again we have amazing provision...a house we can live in rent free....but that is a much longer story we will tell you sometime.

Meanwhile back in Kosova at Lighthouse we are hearing amazing stories of how God is blessing the work their...of kids clubs, movie nights and most excitingly of people becoming Christians!! WOW!!

So what of the future for us??? This is something we are praying about this weekend....can we both continue to work with OM as missionaries and be based in UK??? It seems that this is the path God is pointing us too....but more about that later .....hope you enjoy this from Rend Collective...MY Lighthouse........that is certainly our testimony....thanks for listening and praying....please do keep us up to date with what God is doing in your life

God Bless you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fiE5J_wwmY

Holiday in Port Isaac xx

Chris writes: we are just finishing a wonderful 10 days holiday in Port Isaac, Cornwall...we have had such an amazing time and have felt so blessed and de-stressed. Since we arrived back in UK 6 weeks ago we have had so many answers to prayer...spoken and unspoken...so many people have blessed us beyond our dreams with food, finances, friendship, accommodation and much more besides....in addition our hire vehicle was miraculously made available on the exact day we needed it....it all has just overwhelmed us.....our time in Port Isaac has been no exception and we leave here feeling very relaxed and loved and with so many photos recording so many happy memories.......God has used so many of you to pray for and bless us and we are so grateful to Him for the prompting and to you for the generosity and love expressed.

Here is a view from our front window:

We are now heading to London for some more debriefing then to New Wine for the second week.

And the future........we know that God is in control...He has not let us go without or let us down.....so we have to trust Him and let Him deal with the details......more to follow.....

Much love, in Him

Chris  xx

Wimbledon!!.....ah...GB summer!!

Chris writes: Hi all......hope you are well and having a good summer....we are keeping as busy as ever....we spent some time in Worthing acclimatizing and catching up with friends and some of my family...then we moved to Bournemouth for the appointment Lorraine has been waiting for for a long time and many of you have been praying for...thanks!...we also got to see the first guy from GB in 77 years winning Wimbledon......interesting to note that GB has still won the title more than any other country...trivia fact for you!......then last week we hired a vehicle and drove north to have some meetings at the OM base near Oswestry and then visited another OM base in Birmingham before returning the vehicle back to Bournemouth.....we have been blessed with meals, money, accommodation, people prayed over us and caught up with so many good friends.....it is hard to believe we have only been back for one month!!

This week we have further blessings and answers to prayer as a vehicle from a Christian hire co has suddenly been made available to us for the same price for a month, as we pay from a regular co for a week!! Praise God!

We then head off to Cornwall on Wednesday for a rest....time to pray and reflect and be still before God as we seek Him over our future.....so really appreciate your prayers.....more later!!

After that we have more debriefs and will be at New Wine for the second week......hope to see as many of you as possible....somewhere over the summer....but do feel free to call or skype...

Have a great summer....

In Him

Chris