February Manna

(From l to r: Rick Hill, Katrina Boucher, Jill Boyd, Dave Currie, Phil Emerson, Laura Blakley, Andrew Frame, Clare Woodward, Lisa McPherson)

Quite a powerful morning with Phil Emerson. It still amazes me that people get up this early! It is getting easier as we have go tthru the cold, dark, wet winter mornings. It's interesting that we don't open with a prayer, or sing a closing hymn, we just sit and share and have some breakfast together - emerging church or what!!!?

Phil gave us a couple of real gems. He shared his heart and his lifes experiences and we were captivated. There wasn't so much of a discussion this morning as we just soaked it all in and Phil is a wise man.

We talked about blogging actually and Phil warned us to be carfeul with what we share in our blogs, so I even feel bad writing this! But its interesting how we are in an age of blogging our inner most feelings to the world, whether it be on BEBO, FACEBOOK, MYSPACE or the world o blogs.

Phil shared with us about the importance of solitude balanced with spending time with people. He writes to God every morning and finds it easier to write than pray out loud or into himself, but I suppose prayer can be writing! Phil would normally start in January and read from Genesis 1, Psalm 1, Matthew 1 and Acts 1. This year he has just focussed on the gospels.

Some more thoughts:

As responsibility rises, relationships suffer. Rev 2 v1-8 talks about how the Church in Ephesus grew but they lost their first love.

We never ask each other "how do you feel?" - its always, "so what you been doing?" or "how ae things going?"

Dying for God would be easy - live for God is hard!

Keep short accounts! Both financially and spiritually

Speak for people who don' t have a voice

Be real

Be honest

Don't admit to having all the answers

Wee things bite you not big things - I have never known an elephant to bite you! You are normally stung by a bee or a wasp.

We looked again at giftings (as brought up by Steve Cave in Dec 07). Bill Hybels talks about having 3 main giftings. Your main gifting gives you a buzz and energises you. Second one you enjoy doing. Third gift you will get tired quickly if you do it too much.

Phil finished off by sharing from Isaiah 40v31 and compared it to life. They that wait on the Lord will first of all rise on the wings of eagles. Secondly they will run. Lastly they will walk. So the enthusiasm dies but its all about how you finish the race. Run with perseverance!