Abi is today announcing that she is entering the bag lady competition for the greatest number of bags that can be carried round by one little person at one time. She also seams to be hankering after an office job as she is frequently to be seen saying “hello hello” into the mouse whilst tapping on the keyboard.
Just wanted to post about Abi’s latest strange habit. She keeps taking one sock and shoe off and leaving the other one on. If you try to correct the balance either way she tends to throw a wobbly. diddle diddle dumpling
We have a place already for meditations through bible reading, but something you read might spark off a new train of thought. Maybe God gives you insight into a circumstance that has happened to you. Perhaps someone says something and you want to write it down to expand on it a bit more.
Often, it’s from these short meditations that I have the desire to study something. I find that over a month I can link 3 or 4 of my meditations together or they can form the basis of a word to share with others.
If I’ve read a good book and want to remember some of the things, I write them down in this section, or you could have a separate section for book reviews. Sometimes you may not want to take a lot of notes from a sermon, but just a few thoughts ‑ here again, this is the section to use. Perhaps a series of references on a certain subject. Use ‑ this section however you like ‑ there’s so many different ways.
Be sure to keep each meditation or thought separate so that they are easy to find. It’s also very helpful to title each meditation:
Repentance
Acts 11:21; Acts 11:18; 2 Cor 7:10
e.g., watched Ebenezer Scrooge ‑ good example.
Importance of Speaking Straight
Not ‘maybe’ but ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
e.g., “I am sorry.” “Yes, please. I would like that.” People like to know where they are at with us.
‘Speaking the truth’ ‑ truth is definite, fact, not ‘maybe so’.
Forget & Forgive
Gen 41:50. Joseph. He learned to forget what his brothers did to him and forget his own failures. Living in regret is stupid.
Learning to Meditate
Christian meditation is a key to a successful Christian life. It is the most powerful way of taking in truth, hearing from God, understanding the scriptures and renewing our minds. Bill Gothard, who teaches ‘Basic Youth Conflicts’ in the states, recounts how through meditation and memorisation his grades at school went up from average to A grades. Interestingly enough, his grades varied in direct proportion to his faithfulness in meditation and memorisation.
As we meditate on the scriptures, they come alive to us and we receive many ways to apply the scriptures to our daily lives. Without this application, the bible is just another book and sadly this is the case for many. God can speak to us through meditation and show how scripture can be made relevent for our very own situation.
Meditation differs from study in that we are not simply looking at the interpretation. There is one interpretation, but many applications. David says, “I have more understanding than all my teachers. For Thy testimonies are my meditation.” Ps 119:99. i.e. He’s put into practise (through meditation) what he’s read and his teachers haven’t.
Through meditation we come to understand basic principles throughout the bible that we can apply to our daily lives. The scripture is full of them. Bill Gothard’s project while he was at school was memorising and meditating on a chapter of scripture a week. That may be good for you too. Where do we start?
1. Make a commitment of time
If you’re going to meditate and memorise, you must realise it takes time and effort in the form of concentration. It’s no good trying to fit meditation and memorisation into your present schedule. It’s a priority, therefore, our schedule must fit around meditation and memorisation. That may mean getting up early and going to bed a little earlier. It may mean rescheduling to have time to meditate and memorise at night. Ps 63:5‑6 says, “My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. When I remember Thee on my bed, I meditate on Thee in the night watches.” If we do spend time in the evening in the scriptures, it means the last thoughts entering our minds are wholesome, encouraging (even if it’s convicting) and mind renewing. These thoughts remain there and can set our mental attitudes for the following day.
So, you need to make a commitment. If you’re not used to spending time with God in prayer and in the bible daily, just start with 10 minutes. You’ll soon find that this isn’t long enough. But it’s better to set a low goal and keep it consistently, rather than be unrealistic and fail or ultimately give up completely.
2. Find a quiet place
As much as possible, make it a regular place, too, so that there isn’t a lot of things to distract you.
You may find the beat place is sitting in a comfy chair or even driving the car (if you have the verses memorised, that is).
3. Relax in God
In our busy, busy world we’ve lost the art of relaxation. We have so many things on our minds, pressures from all directions, problems to sort out ‑ so many calls on our time. We have to learn to give all these things to God or set them aside for the time being so that we can concentrate on the Lord. God doesn’t shout at us (usually, anyway, sometimes we do need a kick) and we need to tune into His ’still small voice’.
In ‘Celebration of Discipline’ Richard Foster shares a couple of ideas for relaxing in God. What works well for me is a simple breathing exercise. Each time we breath out, we can release something on our mind ‑ with a big sigh.
e.g.,
“Lord, I give you my anger against John.”"I surrender my anxiety over not having enough money to pay the bills.”"I release my frustration over trying to plan this weekend.”
After we’ve said each sentence prayer, breathe out deeply ‑ symbolising your giving it to the Lord completely. Then breathe in, receiving from the Lord what you need.
e.g.
“Lord, I receive your love for John.”"Lord, I receive your peace over these bills.”"Lord, I receive your patience for this weekend.”
4. Select a really meaningful passage of scripture
A passage that relates to you personally. Perhaps a chapter or a few verses on a problem you’re going through; or a passage on a principle you want to work into your life; maybe some verses on God’s character.
5. Ask yourself questions
a) How many promises are there in this passage to the one who meditates?
b) What conditions are there to receive these promises?
Other questions we can ask are the
Who, where, what, why, when, how, kind of questions. These will throw new light on the Passage and get you thinking more.
6. Personalise the scriptures and make it your prayer
Matt 5:14 says, “You are the light of the world.” In personalising this verse, it can become an objective in our lives and as we pray our hearts respond to the Lord with a desire to be lights for Him.
e.g., “I will be a greater light for You Lord in my situation. I will take every opportunity of sharing my love for You and I will not shy away from standing out in the crowd.”
e.g., “Help me to be a man who delights in Your law and meditates day and night.”
7. Memorise the scripture
If you’re memorising a few verses from a chapter, write them down on a card. Then on the reverse side, place the reference. Keep these cards in an easy to reach place at home or in the car and look at them regularly.
If you’re memorising chapters (and I encourage you to do that) it’s easier just to carry your bible around. Nardan Popov, who was imprisoned, in Russia, had memorised 37 chapters!
The key to memorising is constantly recalling.
Memorising is a real benefit to meditating because it enables us to recall the verse at any time of the day and think about it. The literal concept behind the word ‘meditate’ is that of a cow chewing its cud. Just as it brings it up what it’s eaten again and again, so we should recall what we’ve memorised over and over again so we can properly digest it.
Some good passages to memories are:
James 1 ‑ how to prepare for temptation
Matt 5‑7 ‑ how to find happiness
Heb 12 ‑ how to appreciate God’s chastening
John 15 ‑ how to grow spiritually
Col 3 ‑ how to refocus affections
1 Cor 13 ‑ how to develop genuine love
Psalms 1, 15, 34, 63, 139.
If you can manage it, a whole book memorised can be life changing. I’m very fond of Philippians, and have memorised it. The need here is making sure you recall if often, otherwise, it will be lost.
Some good verses to start you off:
Jn 10:27
Mt 5:13
Ps 91:1
Is 26: 3,4
Is 40:29‑31
Acts 1 v 8
Matthew 28 v 19‑20
1 Corinthians 10 v 31
Ephesians 3 v 20
So how do we meditate? Let’s recall!
1. Make a commitment of time.
2. Find a quiet place.
3. Relax in God.
4. Select a meaningful passage.
5. Ask yourself questions.
6. Personalise the scripture and make it a prayer.
7. Memorise.
The motive behind our meditation and memorisation must be to grow deeper in our relationship with God. There has to be an eagerness to soak ourselves in God’s Word. The truth sets us free when we really know it. That means it’s moved from our head to our heart, i.e., it’s put into practise, it’s “hid in our hearts” as Psalm 119:9‑11 says.
If you’re spending vital time with God and meditating in His Word, you’ll be able to answer these questions:
1. Has the Lord reproved you lately? If not, wait on Him.
2. How has the Lord encouraged you?
3. What new challenges has the Lord given you? Are there new goals to set?
4. What fruit of the Spirit is He asking you to work on?
5. What wrong attitudes is He giving instruction on?
6. What attribute/aspect of God’s character are you thinking about?
7. What applications of scripture involving other people has the Lord asked you to do?
8. Who has the Lord asked you to encourage?
9. Who or what has the Lord burdened you to pray for?
How has the Lord given you direction through the bible recently?
Aims
To build a retreat centre providing an accepting and comfortable environment for rest and refreshment, where people are free to enjoy the setting and local area for themselves.
Rest and Refreshment
Purpose built lodges will provide accommodation for groups seeking to gain rest and refreshment. We will target various groups of people we believe the centre would especially benefit. Those using the main site will be mainly church groups particularly emphasising groups of younger people i.e. those aged between 13 and 35. Additional lodges will be built in a secluded location, these will provide rest and refreshment for those people who’s professions mean that whilst they are at home they are permanently “on call” (such as ministers and their families).
We hope to provide this rest and refreshment on a number of levels by encouraging:
Spiritual - to help them establish a sense of identity and personal worth and a set of values with which to live by and an appreciation of the wider world. This is especially important for ministers to feel valued as people outside of their jobs and adolescents and young people finding their way in life.
Emotional - to help people come to terms with emotions and feelings by satisfying the need for recognition, acceptance and being able to contribute to society. To help ministers to be able to vent frustrations and other feelings to do with their jobs and to provide counsellors to help them work through these.
Physical - to help people have a place to vent energy and become aware of their changing selves. To help ministers relax physically with, for example, a round of golf or a good swim.
Intellectual - to help people to be challenged to think and to have opportunities to work through issues important to themselves and enable them to make informed and independent decisions. To provide for ministers an opportunity to catch up on current issues.
We realise that all this cannot be achieved by one visit but we hope that the centre will start to make a positive contribution to peoples lives in these areas, which will continue to benefit them once they are back in their home environments.
How will we do this?
Cornwall is a peaceful county and by maintaining this peace with careful site planning and planting, we will bring to people an atmosphere that only Cornwall can offer.
Retreat Lodges
By providing space for people to think and be themselves away from the pressures they normally face.
By encouraging them to appreciate the environment and countryside of this area.
By enabling them to work through issues that have been troubling them.
By providing areas where they can be sociable and enjoy spending time with others in a pleasant setting.
By encouraging them to take what they have learnt back to their home environment and hopefully improve the quality of their lives.
By offering the retreat centre to local and national groups for them to come and do their own thing or to come and have a programme of events laid on for them.
Secluded Retreat Lodges
By offering the lodges to provide refreshment to ministers and their families but also to other people in difficult jobs from around the country and ensuring this space enables them to recuperate.
By giving ministers and others whose work becomes their life a space for them and their families to get away from it all.
By offering this space because there is a lack of affordable facilities for such workers.
These lodges will be built in a small copse of trees providing further space.
Place of Worship
To provide an environment for worship that allows people space to enjoy a service without restriction but to also allow services to be conducted in different environments.
Centre Hosts and Counsellors
The centre hosts will be responsible for the day to day running of the centre. This will involve on site repairs, cleaning and stocking of each lodge and if required cooking for groups.
The centre hosts will welcome visitors to the lodges, explain rules and other information. They will also hand-out welcome packs detailing local sites to visit.
The centre hosts will need to ensure an immediate response to problems.
They will be required to be available for teaching and counselling sessions particularly when groups are invited to ‘themed’ weeks.
They will be required to co-ordinate day trips and liase with appropriate people to organise such trips.
The centre hosts will be responsible for the gardens and the general upkeep of the surrounds.
They will need to manage the centre in terms of bookings and financial management.
They will be responsible for the hiring and management of staff.
It will be necessary therefore to provide the centre hosts with accommodation together with an office and adequate facilities to cater for up to 30 people.
Advantages for the local community
In developing this project we are keen to promote the values of the local community and encourage community participation.
We want to provide a facility that will advantage the local community with rooms that will enable bands to visit, performance opportunities and with provision for transport, opportunities for playgroups and other local groups.
We will use local craftsmen in the construction of the project.
We will source timber and other requirements locally.
As the centre grows we will provide jobs locally particularly as groundsmen, cleaners and cooks.
We will benefit local businesses by bringing more trade to the area.
We hope to enter into a partnership with such facilities as Lostwithiel Golf club, Duchy College, Eden Project and numerous other similar facilities to encourage visitors to go to them.
We will use a local architect with specialist knowledge of building timber framed and environmentally structures.
Buildings
Whilst our primary aim is to provide rest and refreshment we have a secondary aim of ensuring that each building is as environmentally friendly as possible. We wish to build encouraging maximum use of new ecological thinking. We anticipate that our requirements would be as follows:-
Five individual lodges sleeping eight people complete with lounge.
Two small lodges, each comprising 2 bedrooms each to sleep 2 - 6, a bathroom and a lounge/kitchen/diner.
Accommodation for the centre hosts.
A small intimate place of worship with appropriate ancilary services.
All buildings will be constructed to fully meet the needs of disabled users.
Construction
Detailed below is what we feel is an exciting and innovating plan that actively seeks to develop new thinking in terms of environmental and ecological ideas.
To build timber framed structures with a locally beneficial and ecological focus.
To provide local employment by using local craftsmen.
To source timber and other construction materials locally.
To build in keeping with the local environment.
To develop and manage the build to encourage maximum use of new technology and ideas in ecological thinking whilst ensuring they are visually fitting in the local environment.
To use environmentally friendly materials from sustainable sources.
To incorporate as many energy saving/recycling devices as possible (e.g. solar panels, rain water recycling).
To plant trees to create a wooded area
To create “wild areas” incorporating local varieties of plants to encourage habitation of indigenous species.
To grow hedges to heights that encourage birds affected by the trend towards severe hedge cropping, to nest.
To potentially use the buildings as “show buildings” to encourage more active participation in the environment. Similar buildings can be seen in Bristol, Wales and other sites around the country.
Profile of the Centre Hosts
The centre hosts Richard and Anna Brown both have extensive experience of working within the Christian community.
Richard has worked full-time as a Christian minister for over ten years. He has been employed as a Christian youth minister in various settings. He has also worked as a management accountant, computer programmer and as a general manager.
Anna (nee Pollard), whose father is a minister in a local church and was headmaster at Braddock School, has been involved with the development of a similar project. She has experience of retail management, catering and the holiday trade.
Finance
The “business” will run as a charity, not relying on donations but relying on sustainability as a viable service.
We will secure funding by the following means:-
Disability grants
Grants for supplying ministers rest and refreshment.
Grants for supplying accommodation to youth groups.
The sports council.
Investments such as shares and holdings.
We will also approach various charitable trusts to help in building grants.
We already have provision for some buildings and resources for yearly provision.
Summary
This scheme is an exciting and innovating scheme that will draw much positive attention to Lostwithiel, Caradon District Council and Cornwall. We hope you will look favourably on this scheme. We believe that it will be of benefit not only locally but nationally and will do much for young people and ministers who currently find themselves with increasing problems and frustrations.
Difficult to penetrate.
Incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge.
Inscrutable, mysterious, mystifying of an obscure nature.
A deep dark secret.