SPRINGTIME AT LAST.

 - And back 'on air' again after a three month web site rest.

At the end of 2006 I was feeling exhausted and needed to lighten my load for a while, so I chose to set the maintenance of the web site aside by deactivating it. That release and a lovely week's holiday in Lanzarotte helped a lot and by the end of January I was pretty much back in full stride again. However I left the web site down until early April so this newsletter is basically looking back over the past quarter.

God has been gracious in using this ministry to bring restoration into the lives of young men from the Life-line drug rehabilitation Centre in Dublin. On Saturday January 10th the Christian Renewal Centre in Rostrevor asked us and some of the young men to speak at one of their monthly prayer days. It was a wonderful experience not only to hear these young men tell how Jesus has set them free but to hear of the impact their lives are now having on others. All who spoke were gifted communicators.

Chairs being made ready for Marriage Course

On February 14th Linda and I travelled to Ellel Pierrepont in Surrey where I taught the 'Fatherheart of God' for two days to NETS students and then we both taught 'Marriage as God intended' on the Saturday. More than 100 attended. We were not sure if this 4 day course could be successfully converted to a one day course but Praise God the feedback from those attending was excellent and we would be happy to do this one day event again.

The following weekend - February 23rd - we travelled with a full team to 'God's Garage' in Tipperary where I taught Friday evening and Saturday morning followed by ministry. In the afternoon the team held ministry sessions in God's garage while I held the first session of the Prayer Ministry School at a location nearby. The evening was spent with Phillip, the Pastor, and his wife Veronica. We seek to make weekend visits every 5-6 weeks.

'God's garage'

The following weekend we were back again at The Christian Renewal Centre in Rostrevor to meet another group of young men from Life-line ministries in Dublin for the first of two weekends of ministry. The first weekend is always the 'Father heart of God' and yet again God's Spirit was moving powerfully amongst these young men who are looking to Jesus to be set free and kept free from drug addiction. To see young men so recently saved (days or weeks) worshipping God so powerfully was a humbling experience for us all (and made us feel quite lukewarm) The testimonies on Sunday morning after the Saturday evening ministry were amongst some of the most moving we have yet heard.  We love all the work we are called to do but working with these young men is probably the most rewarding part of our calling in Christ. Thank you Jesus!

Last year the Pastor of the newly formed 'Green Pastures' church in Ballymena came to one of these weekends at Rostrevor and was so impressed by what God was doing that he asked our ministry to become closely involved with his church, and after several meetings we readily agreed to begin our involvement by teaching every Friday night until the summer time. This first course is called 'Stronger'  The average attendance has been around 200 people and the hunger is quite extraordinary. A new church with a 700 seater auditorium is under construction next to the present building and there is little doubt in our hearts that it will be needed. Amazingly the pastor has a vision for a 7000 seater church to be built nearby within a few years. The doors God is opening for us both North and South are quite extraordinary. I thank God I am alive to see it!

On April 13th while part of our team will be teaching and ministering with me at Green Pastures Church in Ballymena, the larger part of the team will be travelling to God's garage in Tipperary to teach, minister and hold the second part of the Prayer Ministry School.

The following weekend - April 20th - while another team member teaches and ministers at Green Pastures I will be leading the larger part of the team (including two members of the Green Pastures Church) to minister at the Christian Renewal Centre in Rostrevor on the second weekend of the young men from Life-line in Dublin.

We have a second grandchild. Our eldest son and his wife are the proud parents of Alexander Joseph Symington born in February. As our Aussie friends would say "he's a little beauty!"   God is good.

At my recent six month check up with the hospital heart department I was told by the doctor that a young man had been admitted a short time ahead of me suffering with the same aggressive virus attack. Unfortunately he died within days. It brought it home to me again just how much God intervened in my life in July 2005. I  continue to enjoy robust health, but notice that as I approach the landmark age of 60 I do not bounce back from a tiring schedule as quickly as I used to. I therefore need God's wisdom to know what I am called to do and what I am not!

*The picture at the top of the page was taken by our 7 year old grandson!

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