Passion appears to be a force that moves people beyond ordinary human activities. Some seem to have had it all their lives, others find it grows on them. Sometimes you have it for a while and then lose it. One thing is for sure – you know when you have it and quite aware when you don’t. As soon as I was old enough, I received a chemistry set for my birthday. I loved creating Read more about 64. Does your passion need restoring?[…]
Pain is part of our normal human life and although God doesn’t createpain for us through our daily circumstances and interactions with people, he is able to useevery situation we have to face, to enable us to grow and develop – if we let him. It’s been said that ‘Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.’ Everyone experiences pain and disappointment, no matter how committed they are to God and no matter how flawless their character. Read more about 62. How’s your pain threshold?[…]
Recently I was asked the question, “What is God saying to YWAM global?” My response was, “Two things – the first, flattening the organisation and establishing a shared leadership, and secondly, calling us to spend time ‘In His Presence.’ In this season as I have attended conferences or visited YWAM bases, leaders are giving over large amounts of time to worship and wait on God in order to love, listen and obey. How important it is, to Read more about 57. In his presence?[…]
This month I have asked Wilrens Hornstra to write the leadership letter. He is a member of our retreat team and has been involved in SBS (school of biblical studies) for many years. He has just started to write a monthly letter centred around the word of God. What do you do to feed yourself spiritually? There is an unfortunate downside to asking this question. Too many of us respond with feelings of guilt. In Read more about 48. Had a spiritual feast lately?[…]
This month our retreat centre team enjoyed hosting a ‘pathways to God’ retreat. We had spent some months in preparation and each of us were able to explore new ways of relating and enjoying our relationship with God. We all have several pathways that we are used to, but there are others that we can discover that are able to bring a whole new level of intimacy with God. One of our team members, Wilrens Read more about 34. What’s your pathway?[…]
At the leadership centre, we are just about to run a 5-day retreat called “pathways to God”. There is so much to explore in our relationship with God and so many ways to relate with him. The following letter contains a couple of simple principles taken from Gordon Macdonald’s book “restoring your spiritual passion.” Safe places: “There is a contemplative in all of us, almost strangled but still alive, who craves quiet enjoyment of Read more about 33. Enjoying safe places & still times?[…]
I was talking with a guy recently who shared with me that he felt a lack of passion and energy for life. He had been in some difficult family and ministry situations and had a feeling of disappointment with the way things had turned out. I asked him he had talked to anyone and he said that he had received some prayer but still felt the same way. I meet people often who have been Read more about 30. Had a debrief lately?[…]
As you face decisions and difficulties in your leadership, you begin to think through what you believe and why you believe it. As time goes on, those beliefs are shaped into a ministry philosophy that you begin to lead by. Then without having to think it all through again, you live and lead from this foundation. Every leader has values, it’s just that some leaders haven’t clearly identified them or taken the time to process Read more about 28. What’s your ministry philosophy?[…]
This letter is a little different from previous ones, in that it is a meditation on Easter. I would encourage you to take some time to meditate on each stage of the journey from the last supper to the cross. It’s a journey perhaps that you have taken often but during this Easter, allow God to speak and minister into your heart in a new way. The last supper: Jesus had been looking forward to Read more about 21. Time to meditate?[…]
I find the end of the year is always a good time for me to reflect. With the weather being so beautiful here in the south of Spain, it has been a joy to sit outside in the sunshine and think back over this last year. It has definitely been a full year and so there have been many experiences to draw from. Here are some of the lessons that I have learned and am Read more about 18. What are you learning?[…]