It's okay to not be fine. This has been my experience of life over the past two months. My family has sadly said good bye to two loved family members and it has rocked me to my core. I don't feel okay. I've shed more tears than I can count, I feel fragile and overwhelmed by circumstances where I'd usually feel comfortable and confident. Just being able to think straight has been a challenge. 

The only thing that has brought comfort and peace in this time has been drawing near to God in prayer, in his word and listening to christian songs which point me to my rock and refuge.

This week I had the privilege of serving the kids who attended our Circus Mania kids club – the holiday programme for primary aged kids. We run this event every year with the hope that many of the kids who attend will hear the good news about Jesus and choose to put their trust in him or grow in their love for him.

This year’s theme was all about the circus and we had face painting, hula hoops, mini putt, catchy songs and a drama that certainly entertained with a clown, a juggler and a ring master.

This week we’ve spent some time together as a staff team praying, thinking and planning for the year ahead, as well as just connecting as a team. Every year we spend a couple of days dreaming and scheming for the future, and asking God to do his work and show his glory through our weakness, and it’s one of my favourite things to be honest.

This year I think was our most wholesome staff retreat ever, as we spent the first day tramping in the Ōrongorongos together, stopping at the bridges to share our testimony, a Bible passage, and pray for each other.

I remember it well. It was a Friday afternoon, I still had a few hours of work left to do. I was finishing up some tax returns for the wealthy client and then I had to dash out of the office to catch the 5:15pm train so I would make it to church in time to lead the 15 year old boys Bible study group.

The reason I remember this particular afternoon so well was because it was in that exact moment that it dawned on me for the first time which of the two things I was doing that day was going to last into eternity... and it wasn't the tax returns!

We are delighted this week to have the Sinclair family with us on home assignment from their ministry in Japan. Luke & Naomi are one of our overseas mission partners and it will be excellent to hear from them how they are going and how we can be praying for them.

I remember very clearly what my brother-in-law said when he was preparing to go to South Sudan to work in a missionary hospital. He said,

Reading God’s word is no doubt one of the best ways we can spend our time as followers of Jesus. 

But I’m also convinced that reading other books is an important part of the Christian life. Fiction or non-fiction, books can encourage us, nourish us and challenge us. They can help us to learn from the perspectives of others and deepen our understanding of God’s word. 
I have personally benefitted greatly over recent years from reading a range of theology books, especially those written by past saints such as Justin Martyr, Augustine, and C.S Lewis.