Our first ever Rock Solid!

My youth finally decided a name for our Sunday morning youth group Last Sunday, so it's now called 'Rising Tide'. Lats week we all wrote letters to ourselves which I'm going to give back to them in a few months time so they can see how much God can do in a relatively short space of time. I also got them to make a mind map about themselves and then to add to each others which was a really great exercise to learn things about themselves and be encouraged by each other.
I led the YFC prayer breakfast on Monday morning (complete with crumpets, muffins and chocolate spread!) all about being thankful. We looked at Psalm 100 and we spent some time giving thanks to God for the things that we often take for granted.
I had a meeting in the afternoon about potentially starting to help out at a DofE centre soon which is exciting! Also got lots of planning done and some bits for college and managed to get into bed by 8.30(!) ready for the early start on Tuesday.
A good nights sleep definitely makes a day at Moorlands much easier and more productive. I got my first essay back this week and was very happy with the mark I got for it. I also handed in my second essay which was a reflection on practice. It always feels good to hand an essay in and to know that I don't have to do any more work on it! My lectures were all good. We had one on informal education in the morning and talked about teaching through conversation. Also had lectures on syncretism (being in the world but not of it) and on the attributes of God.
Wednesday was full of planning and preparation for all kinds of things. After writing Friday's entry for our YFC Bible in one year blog, and wondering around Sainsburys searching for m&ms, straws and polo mints (guess the games they were used for!) I soon found myself surrounded by risk assessments, permission forms, registers, game plans and a few other things as I got everything organised for our first ever Gunville Rock Solid party on Thursday. In the evening I had a meeting at church with my 'steering group' to chat about how things are going. That went really well as did the Rock Solid party on Thursday. We only had small numbers, but we had great fun and played lots of silly games.

On Friday YFC held a worship evening for the youth on the island called 'Emerge'. Chris talked about the fruit of the spirit and we had a great evening.
I met up with a friend on Saturday, and as there's not that much to do on a Saturday afternoon on the Isle of Wight in November we went to a garden center to see all the Christmas decorations! I missed all the western Christmassy things last year as I was in Uganda, so it was a bit weird, but good fun.

In the evening we went to a praise evening at my church and I decided to get my djembe drum out and play which I really enjoyed.
This morning in church I taught my youth group about grace. It was great to have the opportunity to explain to them that God loves us all so much that although there's nothing we can do to be worthy of him, he has made a way for us through Jesus. 

Please pray this week...
- For Rock Solid on Thursday - pray that we get a few more young people and that we have a good evening.
- For me as I write my next essay. Pray that I'll find lots of motivation and enjoy writing it (and that the books I need will be in the library!)