Simon Says

I was called to follow Jesus as a Salvation Army Officer in 1990. In May 1991 - four days after my 22nd birthday - and exactly twenty years ago - my Nana Smith typed out a letter to me (she later told me that it had taken ages as she could only type with one finger). It contained wisdom and advice for a young man preparing for ministry. It is one of the most precious possessions I have. I entered the William Booth Training College in 1993, the year after my Nana went to be with Jesus. My sister later also entered the Training College and on her Commissioning Day I sent a copy of this letter to her - from a Nana to a precious granddaughter - words that she would want to say to her as she stood on the cusp of new challenges and ministry. I have returned to this letter from time to time. I came back to it this afternoon; initially because of clearing boxes in preparation for moving. But I then spent time to re-visit it and receive again such godly wisdom. I reproduce the letter in f...

As I celebrated my thirty-twelfth birthday yesterday Nina and I also celebrated 16 years since our commissioning as Salvation Army officers. it has been a journey - in the words of the late Mike Yaconelli -  "If I was to drop dead now my last words to you would be: What a ride!"  He went on to say -  "You cling to Jesus, you give your life to him. It will be wild, it will be unpredictable, it will be dangerous. But, man, will you know how to dance"  Well, that sums up 16 years of Salvation Army officership. We're here because that's what Jesus wants. And as we stand on the threshold of a new adventure it wonderfully concentrates the mind and the heart on a fresh realization of a desperate need for God, utter helplessness and a need for total dependence on Him. If experience has taught me anything in 16 years, it's that God does the work; apart from Him I can do nothing. As I listened to my sessional dedication song today -  prayed and sang it with a re...