The 17th October marks 18 years since I became a follower of Jesus…so, I’ve come of age…time to move on from the spiritual milk to the meat!  It is a day I remember like it was yesterday, but so much aware of the several yesterdays that have passed in between where God has never failed me and where his grace has been more than sufficient.  He is able to hold and keep everything I’ve committed to him.  Faithful.

It has been a good year this year, spiritually, and I’ve been able to focus on what have been some quite significant personal breakthroughs in spiritual terms, steps forward, deeper understanding and experience, and a real sense of growth.

A real highlight of all that, of course, was the baptism in the Almond.  Still enjoying and working through all that meant.  I mentioned a few posts ago, in reflection on my baptism, that I had a real sense of recommissioning and of God’s hand upon me.  I’ve made several responses to that and trusting God with the outcomes.  One thing I did realise, however, is that beyond Trinity I won’t be looking at Methodist Ministry, having been exploring that vocationally for some time.  I had a very real vision, coming up out of the water and being prayed for, of what the very essence of my calling was to, and I alluded to some of those things in my ‘Passions’ post and we plan, in the long term, to work towards being faithful to those as a family together.

These days, I’m very open to a variety of theological and experiential explorations of God and the mystery of the gospel, not afraid to explore, test and be stretched,  but at the very heart of who I am is the amazing work of grace that God worked in my own life on that 17th October, the moment when I knew life had changed and that Jesus would forever be the centre-point around whom my life would revolve.  I am resolved to know nothing, not a thing, except the death and resurrection of the Lord in my every day living and breathing.  I’m not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes….massive, boundless salvation.

Following Jesus is the most important and life-giving thing anyone can do.  He has the power to forgive, renew, transform and make whole.  Come and follow him.