Thursday 24 January 2008

Ignatian Spiritual Exercises

I committed myself today to begin the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, as a retreat in daily life. I'll be starting them after Easter and this will be a nine month programme of daily prayer exercises and a weekly meeting with Jane, who'll be acting as my conductor. This is something that I have wanted to do for a long time, and the time now feels right to undertake this. I hope that the exercises will help me to live from a better rhythm of prayer, to grow closer to Christ, and be foundational for future retreat leading. I'm told that the exercises can be profoundly life-changing. Watch this space ...

Preparation of the Godly Daydreaming retreat for Penarth Baptists is on schedule. Please pray for continued inspiration and uninterrupted preparation time.

Thank you.

Wednesday 16 January 2008

On to the next project ...

Thank you for your prayers, folks.

It was a privilege to be on the Programme Planning Panel for Llangasty and it was a joy to spend time again in that peaceful retreat house. I will be leading a retreat for them in 2009.

Thank you for your prayer upholding throughout last weekend. The Inner Healing Course was a powerful experience, possibly even life-changing. I learnt a great deal and was deeply blessed by the prayer ministry times. All that I experienced will be very valuable in the pastoral ministry that goes hand in hand with retreat work.

And so, onto the next challenge ... In the next three weeks I am concentrating on praying and preparing for the retreat that I'll be leading for Penarth Baptist Church. Please pray that I will have discernment, vision and fresh inspiration. Pray too for undisturbed preparation time.

Thank you.

Wednesday 2 January 2008

An Inspiring Time

Having helped to lead the Green Pastures Christmas Encounter retreat, it has been good to take a few days relaxing with friends at the turn of the year. I now face the coming year refreshed and inspired. The leading of Advent and Christmas retreats has been a real catalyst for a flow of new writing and I hope to soon have a manuscript for a Christmas book to offer to a publisher. The Christmas Encounter was very moving and Green Pastures have invited me back to lead another retreat for them in October.

I have felt very affirmed in my ministry in recent months and step into 2008 in a very positive frame of mind. My New Year's resolution is to use the gifts I have been given to attempt to become the best retreat leader and Christian writer that I possibly can be. One thing that will be very enabling in this task is the successful set-up of a Support Group for my ministry. Please pray for us as we prepare to launch this very soon.

I also have lots of other things on the go in the next two months, so please pray that I would achieve the right balance in prioritising everything. I am off down to Llangasty next Monday to join their programme advisory group in planning future retreats. Please pray for me specifically too as I attend an Inner Healing Training on Jan 11-13.

Unfortunately my application for an author grant was not successful, but I thank you for your prayers.

Thank you all for your faithful prayer support throughout 2007: it is crucial to all that I do. May God bless you with His peace and guide you in the paths He has for you in the coming year.