"It will change your life.
Impact is a sacrificial year given over to learning more about God, getting a passion for the nations and having your life turned upside down. We’ll give you the opportunity to travel overseas and see how the gospel is reaching other nations, participate in the growth of a local church and equip you in sound theology and leadership skills.
Impact is not for the faint hearted…"
(http://www.impact-training.org.uk)
The year will consist of Theological training, skills building and church-based work. I am doing my church-based work in my own church in Ramsgate which I think will be more beneficial for me as I already know the church family there, however, there is plenty of work for me to get stuck into.
I am expecting and excited to meet with God in amazing ways this year and for my character to really be pushed and to grow in ways that I can't even imagine right now.
I have just returned from our first week of training at East Grinstead and I survived (just about!). It was an amazing week however extremely tiring. The only Christian events (outside of my own church meetings) that I have ever been to are Momentum '13 and Newday '14 (that I can remember) so I really didn't know what to expect from this week at all.
I suppose it's a little cliche that a group of 40 Christians met and spent a week in the woods together, in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, drinking endless cups of tea, eating way too much food, singing worship songs and toasting marshmallows around the bonfire and telling stories of how great our God is. Yet, it's a cliche that I am so thankful to be a part of this year.
During the days we had seminars covering a range of topics: Tuesday - The Trinity, Wednesday - Self-Management, Thursday - Understanding Scripture and Friday - The Old Testament. Parts of the theological teaching I really struggled with. I guess I am aware that I am not a very academic person and so this really plays with my mind, as well as being very tired and there being a heck of a lot of information to take in and process - at times I felt really rather inadequate but it reminds me that God has put me on that course for a reason and so with a bit of prayer He will help me to understand.
During the evenings we ate together and generally built friendships. I have really enjoyed getting to know more of my brothers and sisters in Christ. It is such a strange thing - a week ago I had no idea who these people were, or anything about them and now after just 5 days together I feel such a connection with many of them (the people I don't have that with I am eager to get next time we meet) and I actually miss them. Sitting on the sofa, watching tv and eating dinner - I feel lost without them being around. Such a surreal thing.
I am truly grateful to God for this year to come.
Oh - ps - I said that I just about survived the week... to explain! On Friday morning I very clumsily fell down the stairs and sprained my ankle! I have no idea how I did it, I stepped onto the first step and then remember nothing except I was then sitting at the bottom of the 3 concrete steps not being able to feel my foot. A few great people prayed over me for healing, and although I did not receive instant healing I know that God did touch me because the pain eased up and by the end of the day I was able to walk on it. Thus, I managed to get home (walking through London Victoria station with my suitcase was my main worry). It was very swollen and sore when I walked through my front door, but, again God blessed me by giving me a day with absolutely nothing to do today so I have been able to rest to regain energy in my mind & body and strength in my ankle.
God is good!
Thanks for reading ! I am off for another nap to try and catch up a little more on this exhaustion.
God Bless x
