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Beth and I arrived back home after a week long holiday in Malta a few days ago. Whilst on holiday I read Secret Believers by Brother Andrew. It was un-put-downable – I read it in two days whilst sunning myself on the beach at Golden Bay. Okay, I was in the shade for the whole time. I digress.

Secret Believers is an amazing book. It documents the lives of several Muslims – in an undisclosed country – who discover the Prophet Isa to in fact be God’s own Son – Jesus Christ – the Way, the Truth and the Life. It documents the new believers’ excitement and in turn persecution from their family and other Muslims.

It inspired me on two fronts. Firstly that God is changing the hearts and opening the spiritual eyes of Muslims through the prayers of His people and through brave and courageous Christians in these difficult countries. Secondly, the excitement and reality of Muslims finding salvation through Jesus is contagious, and made me look at my own faith and salvation with fresh eyes.

Before the holiday I purchased another book to do with Islam – Holy Warriors, by Frog and Amy Orr-Ewing. I hope to have finished it by Christmas – it will definitely take me longer than two days to read this one! A paragraph from the introduction explains the book’s intentions:

This book intends to provide a fresh perspective on militant Islam in the world today. We aim to help readers understand this new phenomenon in its theological context within Islam and also in its relation to the West. We ask the question: Do the ideas of extremist Muslims find precedent or justification in the scriptures or history of Islam?

I am trying to plan lessons. I have not planned one lesson yet. I have a rough (very rough) outline of topics to teach throughout the year, but that’s it.

This reminds me of my PGCE days.

Perhaps this is just teaching.

I have a job. For this, I am thankful.

Prayer. Sometimes I don’t understand it.

If a group of you are praying, for example, for a young child who has no eye-sight.

Someone may be bold in their prayers, asking God for complete healing. They know He’s done it for people before, they know He can do it again.

But then, someone else in the group may pray. And they might pray for some kind of “hope” for the child’s family. Maybe some peace from God. Maybe some assurance that everything’s going to be alright.

My question is, can the second person pray that, whilst not contradicting or undermining the first person’s prayer?

Does the second person’s prayer render the first person’s prayer ineffective? Sure, pray both things – healing AND peace/assurance. But not either or.

Get what I’m talking about? Does anybody have any thoughts on this subject?

I have just planted several pansies, that I received as a gift from my dad, in a large plant pot.

Honestly, I fear for the little ones’ lives.

I will not take a photo of them. It is embarassing. I will never be a gardener.

“Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.”

Isaiah 12:2

This is such a full verse. Full as in the more I say it, the more it means to me. I am trying to get into the habit of memorising Scripture. This is a great place to start.

timbrellstar – Occasional witterings of a Timbrell.

I miss this boy.

If I had more readers, I would encourage you all to go and swarm his blog with comments.

But I don’t have ANY readers. So that won’t happen.

Sad.