We cancelled Hope Central last Wednesday 13/03 as Mandy and myself felt overwhelmed with our current situation, which started the day we posted “The Battle”. Mandy’s Step Dad collapsed that Friday and in the early hours of Monday morning he had a cardiac arrest and was put into an induced coma. The medical team suspect Guillain-Barrie syndrome, he also has pneumonia. We felt a little like Elijah (1 Kings 19] so we decided to rest.

Hope Central gathered as normal this week, which incidentally was HC’s one and half year anniversary. As Mandy wasn’t with us we opened with an update and then I shared a Testimony on how after my morning reading and prayer time, I was about get on with my day and I heard a small still voice in my head say “Don’t rush away, spend a little time with me” I then shared the importance of being still in Gods presence and how much He loves it when we do, this was also echoed in other testimonies. We spent a 30 mins sharing testimonies and one of our community shared a reflection on a scripture which was so good. I also shared testimony about how God uses Daily Devotionals to speak to us and encouraged everyone to add them to their daily routine

We prayed and then we postured ourselves for worship (PASSION). There was a real sense of vulnerability and weakness and I felt prompted to share this from Bear Grylls daily devotional Soul Fuel “God’s ways are different. He’s not scared off by our vulnerability or frustrated by our need for continual guidance. On the contrary, our weakness becomes His strength in us”. The Holly Spirit was moving and resting on those who needed strengthening and reassurance. Thank you, Jesus.

When then invited our very own Malcolm MacDonald to give the talk. Malcolm shared from Romans 5 and then showed us some pictures from Louie Giglio’s video Indescribable, which demonstrates how small the earth is in the cosmos, and therefor how tiny we are, and yet God is still mindful of us, even the number of hairs on our heads are known to Him. Malcolm then went on to talk about the significance of the Cross, he asked us to consider for a moment what it meant to each of us before unpacking: Atonement; Redemption; Justification (just as if it hadn’t happened); Reconciliation and Grace. He then said I hadn’t planned this as he moved the Hope Central Cross to the centre of the room and invited those who wanted to thank Jesus for the Cross to come forward. Everyone got up and kneeled in front of the cross and He invited us to pray out our thanks as we felt led, which many of the community did, it was a beautiful moment. What Malcolm didn’t know was that at the beginning while we were praying a member of the Team had a picture of everyone at Hope Central on their knees.

Another amazing night, thank you Jesus, you deserve all the glory 

As always thank you for your prayer support, it is essential, powerful and affective.

A Scripture from a member of Taste & See

Philippian’s 2 5-11

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father

Can you hear those dry bones RATTLING….