Salvation Army Facts

Following on from yesterday's blog post, Language and Uniform, I realised that talked about the Salvation Army as if all of you know a lot about it - this was very remise of me, so to put it right I thought today I'd share some facts with you about the Salvation Army:

• The Salvation Army came into existence in 1878 - This was when the then Christian Mission changed its name to The Salvation Army.
• The founder of the Salvation Army was William Booth who was born in Nottingham in 1829.
• The Salvation Army is a registered charity
• Many of the terms used in the Salvation Army have army associations:
• Our ministers are called Officers (Captain, Major, ..., General etc)
• Our local churches are called Corps
• Many corps have junior and senior bands and/or choirs
• Junior band is known as the Young People's Band or YP Band
• Junior choir is known as the Singing Company
• Senior choir is known as the Songsters
• Senior band is known as....the Senior Band!
• Within the UK, there are currently approximately:
• 50,000 members (adult, junior and adherent members)
• 4,000 employees
• 1,500 Salvation Army officers (full-time ministers)
• And within the UK the Salvation Army provides a range of services, including:
• 3,000,000 meals served every year at community and residential centres
• 79,000 prisoners visited each year in 134 prisons
• 3,200 homeless people given food and shelter every night in 57 centres
• 709 local church and community centres
• 636 elderly people accommodated every night in 17 residential centres
• 300 youth clubs providing a caring environment for young people
• 120 drop-in centres offering support and help for people in need
• 70 day centres for elderly and disabled people
• 50 nurseries and playgroups
• 30 Red Shield support centres for military personnel in the UK, Germany and the Falkland Islands
• 10 people reunited every working day with their families through the Family Tracing Service
• 6 residential centres for victims of alcohol and drug abuse
• 6 centres for families and one community home for children
• 2 centres for people with special needs
• 2 employment training centres
• 1 centre for women escaping from domestic violence

 
So there you go, I hope you've learned something from this information about the Salvation Army. You can find out more about the Salvation Army and it's work in the UK at http://www1.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_uki.nsf
 
The statistics used above were taken from the Salvation Army's UK website: http://www1.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_uki.nsf

Real Life Training

I recently qualified as an AIIM ECM Specialist, however personally I will not go shouting about that as I feel I have not yet got the “real world experience” I feel need to be able to consider myself a specialist on ECM (Enterprise Content Management). Yes, I’ve been on the courses and passed the associated exams, but would my current level of ability reflect this?

This got me thinking about training in general and classifications we assign ourselves and others. In particular I was thinking about the fact that I call myself a Christian...yes I’ve read the “manual”, the bible, and I’ve been getting the “real world” experience ever since I was born, but is that enough to say I'm a Christian?

No it's not! As well as gaining the "real world" experience and reading the bible, we as Christians must live our lives according to God's plan for us. i.e. we must act as Christians in all we do and say, we must continue to read our bibles and most importantly we must pray regularly.

So, have you passed the Christian exam? I would love to say that I do, but if I'm honest, I do not always read my bible, pray or follow God's plan for me as often as I should.

Maybe we should treat our life as an exam, which if we pass will result in us spending eternity with God in heaven. If this is what you want, start your Christian training today and receive eternal life!

Place In This World (Michael W Smith)

The wind is moving

But I am standing still

A life of pages

Waiting to be filled

A heart that's hopeful

A head that's full of dreams

But this becoming

Is harder than it seems

Feels like I'm

Looking for a reason

Roamin' through the night to find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Not a lot to lean on

I need your light to help me find

My place in this world

My place in this world

If there are millions

Down on their knees

Among the many

Can you still hear me

Hear me asking

Where do I belong?

Is there a vision

That I can call my own?

Show me, I'm

Looking for a reason

Roamin' through the night to find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Not a lot to lean on

I need your light to help me find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Lookin' for a reason

Roamin' through the night to find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Not a lot to lean on

I need your light to help me find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Lookin' for a reason

Roamin' through the night to find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Checkout Michael W Smith's website: http://www.michaelwsmith.com/

Struggling At Christmas

I make no apology for share the above song with you today, as it although Christmas should be a time a great joy for Christians around the world, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, it is also a time when traditionally we spend time with our families. So please don't get so caught up in Christmas that you forget those struggling to pull themselves though each day of this Christmas period when all can seem so very bleak for some.

So today I'd ask that you take some time out from the build up to Christmas to think about and pray for those who might be finding Christmas difficult this year for family reasons:

• Those with no family;
• Those whose family are hundreds or thousands of miles away;
• Those who have loved ones in hospital;
• Those who have loved ones for whom this may be their last Christmas due to serious illness or age;
• Those who themselves are ill and unable to share with their family on Christmas.

For those in any of these situations, Christmas can be a very depressing time, a very lonely time, when it seems you are forgotten and alone. But these are times when we need to remember God is with us at all times and can make the darkest of times bright again.

Please pray for those struggling this Christmas and if you are one of those struggling, turn to God, He can give you the strength to face Christmas as without Him there wouldn't be any Christmas.

Can't Live Without You
You found me here
I'm barely breathing
You picked me up
But I'm still wanting more

You're the ocean deep
I'm in up to my knees
Wanting desperately to drown
You're the one bright part
Of my languid heart
You're the love I cannot live without
I cannot live without

Please hold me close
I can't stop shaking
It's not for fear
My walls are breaking down

You're the ocean deep
I'm in up to my knees
Wanting desperately to drown
You're the one bright part
Of my languid heart
You're the love I cannot live without
I can't live without

I can't live without you
I can't live without you
And I cannot live without you
Can you hold on, can you hold on
Can you hold on, because you hold everything

You're the ocean deep
I'm in up to my knees
Wanting desperately to drown
You're the one bright part
Of my languid heart
You're the love I cannot live without
I can't live without you
I can't live without you

Please checkout Bebo Norman's website: http://www.bebonorman.com/index.html

Not Ashamed

Do you consider yourself to be a Christian?

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you felt as a Christian, you should speak out for God? Did you?

It can be difficult to "stand out" from everyone around you and stand up for your beliefs. I have been in situations like that a number of times and if I'm honest with you and with myself, I have to admit I have "sat back" in some of these situations and just kept quiet.

What did I achieve by staying quiet and not sticking up for God? Shame and disappointment! Yes not only was God disappointed in my, I was disappointed in myself and felt ashamed I did not have the courage to "be different" from everyone else and stickup for God.

So how do you make sure you do stick up for God the next time you find yourself in one of these kinds of situations?
Answer - First and foremost you pray! You ask God to give you the strength and the courage to "stand out" and "stand up" for Him. God will give you the strength you need, and He will give you the right words to say to.

So don't be ashamed of being a Christian, praying is our greatest strength in our times of need. Don't let God be ashamed of you!

First Impressions

It's said that first impressions last. Sometimes it can be very difficult to overcome our first impressions of people simply because of the situation or circumstance in which we first met them.

Have you ever stopped and thought about what kind of first impression you give to others?

As Christians, God requires us to lead sin free lives. If we do this the first impression we give others would be one of joy, happiness, love and contentment. Does this sound like you?

First impressions can last forever, and are often way off the mark. Make sure you give others the right first impression of you!

Is there anyone in your life who you've "rejected" because of the first impression you had of them? If so, put that aside and give them a second chance today!

Image of God
When my beauty fades away and all I see is gone
Reflection in my mirror doesn’t please you anymore
What will be left within me
You promise me eternal bliss
Never ending happiness
If I’d only look and play the right part
But, Now look what’s been left in me

Tell me why do I Why do I try
try so hard to please you
Can you promise me, In a few years
You will even remember my name

And I am made in the image of God
I am loved for who I am

Your flashy Magazines & & billboards always scream
Your worth don’t lie within, Its how you look it’s how you dress
It’s who you know
But, That’s a deadly trap
I’m breaking all your rules and getting off your path
cause I have come to see that where it leads is only heartbreak and shame
and who could be satisfied with that.
Tell me why do I Why do I try
try so hard to please you (Yeah)
Can you promise me, In a few years
You will even remember my name

And I am made in the image of God
I am loved for who I am
And though I may not please your eyes But always know, that
It’s in me that God takes delight

Takes delight (la la la)

Saved!

We often hear Christians talking about being saved, but what does that mean?
And what are they talking about being saved from?

Put simply, it means we are saved from our sins.

When God created the world, everything was perfect. However as we all know, it didn't take long after God created man, before things became spoiled and sin first occurred - Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.

Sin spoiled the relationship God had with man. In Romans 5:12 we learn that the whole world was affected because Adam sinned:
You know the story of how Adam landed us in the dilemma we're in— first sin, then death, and no one exempt from either sin or death. That sin disturbed relations with God in everything and everyone (The Message)

Every person born after Adam was then born into a sinful world - that means everyone, including you and me!

So we're all sinful, so how can we be saved (free from sin)? We can do that by accepting God into your life and recognising that God sent Jesus here to earth where He died just so each one of us could be forgiven of all our sins.

Pray to God today and ask Him to save you today!

Visit the Kutless website: http://www.kutless.com/

Use Me

Anyone of us can be a rainbow in somebody's clouds. - Maya Angelou

Have you been a rainbow in someone's life today?
Do you make a point of trying to help those whose life seems to be full of clouds?

As a Christian, I know God wants me to try to help those in need. I'm not a person who finds it very easy to talk openly to anyone about feelings/emotions (mine or anyone else's!), so when I felt God was directing me towards blogging I had no idea that nearly ever blog post I made was going to be me talking about God and how He can use us and work in us. I've been as amazed as anyone by my blog posts!

I pray that God continues to use this blog to reach others. I pray that through something I write, you may accept God as your Saviour and friend, or indeed reaffirm your love for Him if you have already accepted Him into your life.

Thank you Lord for using me in this way. I pray I may be "the rainbow in somebody's clouds" through what I write, as I do it in Christ's name.

I pray you will let God use you to to do His will in whatever way He sees fit.


The Potter's Hand...

Keep On Loving

Hebrews 6:11 (New Living Translation)
Our great desire is that you will keep right on loving others as long as life lasts, in order that to make certain that what you hope for will come true.

How do we keep on loving others as long as life lasts? It's a daunting task and one which seems impossible to achieve when we are caught up with our own corners and problems. It's difficult to find the emotional energy to "keep right on loving" at these times. It's equally as hard when some of those we love don't reciprocate or are unlovable.

Hebrews 6:10 (New Living Translation)
For God is not unfair. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown you love to him by caring other Christians, as you still do.

In the above verse from Hebrews, we find encouragement to keep on loving, when we're informed that God does recognise how hard we have worked to try and love everyone, even if we haven't succeeded.

But this still doesn't make it any easier to love as long as life lasts. So how do we achieve this? We do so by faith and patience, in the knowledge that this is the best way to show God how much we love Him - God likes when we tell Him we love Him, but likes it even more when we show Him by loving other Christians.

Whenever we call a friend in trouble and take time to listen to their struggles, or we look after a child to give their single parent a break, or when we pay a bill for someone whose struggling to make ends meet, or when we invite people to our house to eat knowing their struggling to be able to afford a decent meal for the whole family, or when we visit those in hospital who have no family to care about them, we show God how much we love Him!

We can sometimes find that other Christians are the hardest people to love but God can love them through us so don't give up trying to love them. The day we stop caring, loving and doing things for our brothers and sisters in Christ is the day we "become spiritually dull and indifferent" (Hebrews 6:12).

What do you do for other Christians? It's not enough just to pray for them and say we love them. God sees our heart and watches our life. He knows what we're doing and when he sees us love and care for His people, He will not forget to reward us!

As long as life lasts, keep on loving!

Press On

Well we're nearly at the end of another working week, so how's your week been?

It's been a strange week for me as it's been full of highs and lows in a several areas of my life. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly a high in our life and so quickly change to feeling like an all time low, and vice versa.

I hope your week has been one of highs, however if it hasn't, what did you do when you were experiencing one of your lower times?

The first thing we should do then is pray - Turn to God, He will give you the stregth and the courage to go on and get you through your "deep valley". I know and understand that it can be very difficult during these times to trust God and believe He will help, but take it from one who's been in some very "deep valleys" in the last while, God can and will help...He may not help you in the way you expected or wanted, but He will help you in the way He knows is best for you.

Trust God and press on in your Christian journey.

Press On by Selah:


When the mountain is steep
when the valley is deep
when the body is weary
when we stumble and fall

When the choices are hard
when we're battered and scarred
when we've spent our resource
when we've given our all

In Jesus name we press on
In jesus name we press on
dear lord, with the prize
clear before our eyes
we find the strength to press on

It starts with:
When the valley is deep
When the mountain is steep

you had it switched around that's all

Live Forever!

"Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent."
(John 17:3 - English Contemporary Version)

Christianity is not merely a religion, but is life and salvation in Christ. Life comes and flows through "knowing" God.

Of course "knowing" God is not like mathematical or historical knowledge, it's not about an awareness of facts - It's about understanding God's character, knowing and believing that God is love, and trusting, rejoicing, and living in that love!

"I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father.
(John 14:6 - English Contemporary Version)

It's only through Jesus that we can we truly know God. Knowing God in this way is the only way to eternal life! If you know and believe in Jesus, you have eternal life because death is not the end, it's simply a joyous transition into heaven!

Persuasion

Acts 26:28 (NIV)
Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"

The short and honest answer to this question is No!

It is impossible to persuade someone to become a Christian, it's not something even God can achieve! We can talk to people for hours, listen to them and answer their questions about God, but we can never persuade them to become a Christian.

They must accept God into their lives and be reborn, only then can they become Christians. God achieves this through the words in the bible and talking to them directly.We however can make a big difference in someones life through what we say and how we act. While we cannot persuade someone to become a Christian we can be a huge influence in their decision.

I pray that God will use me in whatever way He sees fit to help influence someones life for the good.

I pray too, that as you read this blog, God will surround you with His love and you will feel His presence with you, and will find reassurance that God is there with you whatever may be going on in your life at present.

Stand Up!

Do you stand up for God?

If you find yourself involved in a conversation or situation that goes against your Christian beliefs, do you say nothing or do you express your beliefs and stand up for God?

It can be very difficult to stand up for what we believe when we find ourselves in the midst of an unacceptable situations. However if you put your trust in God, He will give you the right words to say and will be there with you to help.

Don't think just because no one else has said anything they agree with what's being said or done. A while ago I found myself in the middle of a situation that I felt did not sit well with my Christian beliefs. I didn't know the people involved very well, but could not let myself be associated with what was happening, so I said a quick prayer and asked God to give me the strength and words to diffuse what for me was a very difficult situation. Without going into all the details, the outcome was that my comments were accepted, and the situation was defused (though whether some of the group continued their discussion elsewhere I never found out).

What you might be surprised to hear is that, after the group had dispersed, one of the other folk who had been present came over to me and indicated he had been very uncomfortable with the way the situation had been developing but did not have the strength to stand up for God as the others didn't know he was a Christian! I'm fairly sure none of the group had known I was a Christian prior to my intervention, however my thoughts during this had never been about me, they had been about what was hearing/witnessing.

Please have the courage to stand up for God, He will stand up and support you when you do.

Never stop being in awe of what God can do, if you do, you must remind yourself of God's amazing love for each one of us.

What's In A Name?

Everything that we experience in our life happens for a reason, a reason which God has already planned before it happens. Bearing that in mind, it means that when we were born and our parent(s) spent time trying to decide what name they wanted to give us, the decision had already been made by God.

Every Christian name has a meaning, do you know what your name means? If you do, do you live up to your name?

Here's a list of a few Christian names and their meaning:

Alexander - protector of mankind

Caitlyn - pure beauty

Christine - follower of Christ

Daniel - God is my judge

Derek - gifted ruler

Dorothy - gift of God

Gemma - jewel

Holly - holy

Maggie - pearl

Megan - soft and gentle

Niamh - bright

Sam - God's word

Sean - God is gracious

Susan - lily

William - protector

If your name is not listed above check out the following sites:
Gurgle.com
Name-Meanings.com
Meaning-of-Names.com

So are you living up to the meaning of your name? I find it very humbling when I think about what my name means - "gift of God". It's so easy for us to forget we are all God's children and as such owe God our lives.

There is of course one person whose name could not have been more apt, and that of course is Jesus. The name Jesus is defined as "Jehovah is salvation, God will help".

So remember that whatever situation you find yourself in, no matter how bad it might seem, God will help!

Spring Cleaning

I've just spent most of today giving our house a spring clean. I'm tired and exhausted now but I am please with the results...but please don't ask me to do it all again until next Spring!

When I had a break this afternoon from all my cleaning, I got to wondering what the history of spring cleaning is. After all, we don't do a summer clean, autumn clean or winter clean, so why do we spring clean?

To be honest I'd no idea, it's just something my Mum always did when I was wee. It's just something that seems to be ingrained in me that I should spring clean the house.

So I did some investigation:-

In times past, when people kept their houses shut tight against the cold of winter, heated them with coal and oil and wood, and lighted them with candles, the coming of spring signaled a welcome opportunity to make a dingy habitation fresh again. On the first warm, dry day of the season, everybody in the family—that is, everyone in the family who had survived the ravages of the cold season—would pitch in to pull every stick of furniture and scrap of cloth outside. Then, armed with brooms and washrags, one squad of house cleaners would return to the house, sweeping and scrubbing every corner and washing down the walls, while another would air out linens, remove soot and ash from couches and chairs, dust books and paintings, and mend a few items on the run.

These days of course because we all have central heating or electrical or gas fires in our houses there's not the same dingy air inside as there was in past times. That said though, we still go through the winter months keeping our windows and doors closed to keep the heat in, so when spring comes, it's a chance to open up those windows/doors and let some fresh air in and give the house a clean...a spring clean.

Having discovered the roots of why we spring clean, I found myself realising how appropriate it was that we spring clean round about Easter time, as not only is this a great time for cleaning our homes, it also a great time to renew our relationship with God.

Whether you are reaffirming your relationship with God or are just starting on your christian journey, make this Spring the time to not only spring clean your home, but spring clean your relationship with God too!

Happy cleaning!

What Easter Means To Me

This will probably sound daft to non believers, but I've been feeling God has been telling me to start writing a blog, so I can share a bit of my life with the world. Before I alienate many of you, this blog will not just be me informing you of my Christian beliefs and experiences, but will simply be me writing about what I know...me - my thoughts, observations and experiences of life.


So having decides to start this blog, I faced what to me was a difficult decision, what to write about in this very first post! The decision was difficult for me until it came to today, Good Friday, one of the most important days in the christian calendar. This might sound odd, but while I know many say Christmas is the most important time of year to them, I have always found Easter to be more special to me.


"Why?" I hear you ask. Well Christmas is so commericially orientated that many simply know Christmas as a time when they spend days with family, get lots of presents and eat too much and don't ever spare a thought for what Christmas is really about. I realise Easter to is becoming far more commercial these days too, but not nearly to the same extent as Christmas.



For me Easter is all about sacrifice, the sacrifice that Jesus made for each one of us on the cross when he bled and died, just so we can all be forgiven of our sins. Wow, it's impossible to truly understand the pain/agony Jesus suffered when he was crusified. Can you imagine how God felt, giving up his one and only son, just so the world could be forgiven of every sin. I struggle to truely comprehend how this must have felt, but am forever in God's debt because He did allow Christ to die on the cross.


So here we are at another Easter, another time when I feel so inadeqate and so unworthly of God's love, and also so thankful that God's does love me unconditionally and is always by my side guiding me and supporting me through each minute of every day.


What does Easter mean to you? If all you've ever know is 2 days off school or work and Easter eggs, I hope this blog has given you food for thought this Easter.


Easter is all about "The Cross" and the sacrifice God gave for you and for me.