So after a little time away to recontemplate my blog, Im back! A few things have changed/happened since my last blog, but as it's all gone anyway I doubt that matters too much.
One interesting thing is that, 2 years after starting blogging, I now actually work for 'Alove' which brings the whole name of my blog into a slightly different focus.
However, the main reason for writing today is because last weekend was ROOTS (which apparently has to be all in capital letters!) and I had an AWESOME (Also in capitals) time! This year I was producing the Parklife venue-as part of my role with Alove-which made the whole weekend experience pretty different. For a start I was in Southport for nearly a week and involved in some of the set-up and pack-down for the weekend. This was actually more fun than I expected, except for Thursday morning when I sprained my wrist and my boss quite seriously hurt her back lifting stuff so we ended up unable to do much!Another difference to the weekend was that I just didnt see anybody!If they didnt come into Parklife I just didnt get to see them, and even some of my best friends who were around I didnt have time to spend with. I also had some personal rubbish going on during the weekend, and in many ways it was a really hard few days.
However, it was also an awesome experience, I learned lots, saw God do some wicked stuff and had some good laughs along the way. I think a big part of it for me was the fact that I saw the progression over the weekend of the guys in Parklife. Rather than picking and choosing which venue to go to as I usually do, I actually had an investment in the young adults programme and saw the things God was doing there during the weekend. Highlights included
1) hearing the guys in Parklife shouting 'Freedom' during the human trafficking appeal, and hearing stories of people who were crying because they were so angry at the injustice of the human trafficking industry. In many ways this meant more to me than the £800 the venue raised for the appeal because it shows a real development of a heart for justice and a desire to make a difference which goes beyond one monetary appeal.
2) singing 'Lord you are good' on Monday morning and looking around seeing my brother and my cousin engaged in the worship and realising the truth of the words that God has been good to our family 'from generation to generation'...that was totally not part of what was going on at that point but I was really struck by it.
3)YaYA exec lunches...it was so great for me to be allowed to be part of a team with such fantastic Christian guys and to see how they dealt with the various things that happened during the weekend with grace but also with integrity, Matt, Grinner, Phil, Carrie, Sandjea and Steve...it was a priviledge
4)Sunday nights outdoor response
5) Parklife venue meetings-the randomness of Matt Leeder and Glyn when put together is just immense...as was Glyn's ability to wind up our venue production manager
6)Grinners preaching injury!
7)Carrie and Glyn hosting, including Carrie's attempts to read the football scores "Is Aston Villa in England?!"
8) Realising who some of my best friends are, especially Ben K who was there when I needed someone the most...you earned your chocolates!
There are so many other highlights, but I cant remember them right now. Suffice to say it was an incredible weekend, and I'm excited to hear some other peoples experiences, and more importantly to hear what Gods gonna do with those experiences in the coming months/years.
