Ajde Hrvatska!

What always annoyed me most about Croatian was the it just isn't simple! I don't even know if I got the title right, it might be Ajde Hrvatske, or whatever. I don't know who to blame since my knowledge of the history of Croatian grammar is quite limited, but if I find out whether it was because of the daft Austria-Hungarians or Venetian or whoever I'll somehow find a way to travel back in time and give them my tuppence.

Grammar. The Evil One!

Anyway, never really learned how to speak the language which I still regret. I could blame it on the fact that all my Croatian friends were either brilliant at English or German, but if I'm honest I'll have to go with the option number two, which would be to blame my laziness.

So, presently I am folding HopeSpeaks together, which would be the Church's weekly newsletter. And patiently waiting for things at work to finally sort themselves out so that, hopefully, within the next week I'll be working the part time hours I've been promised from work - so there is a big yippee!

Apart from that I'm still not completely involved in all the things that I would like to be to do the internship. This week we've started a initiative called Eat, Pray, Go. This being students meeting up during the day for some food, prayer and worship and then going out onto the streets to do some Treasure Hunting. That would be praying that God would give us some clues as to whom he wants to heal or just speak to when we go out. We then get pictures of small articles, such as blue jumpers or something like, along with a few other tokens. We then look for these people and see whether the infirmity we wrote down earlier fits to them and then pray with them for healing, be it physical, spiritual or emotional.

All sound a bit out there? Well, that's because it is. Well out of my comfort zone and I have yet to do it. Once I've got the days during the week off, I'll be able to look like a complete twat to some people, but God honours bold faith and I'm believing that we'll get to see some radical healing. Folks have seen blind people get their eyesight back, people with years of leg difficulty abandon their walking sticks on the streets, so here is to some wicked supernatural stuff!

This weekend there has also been a team from the International House of Prayer from Kansas City that's been doing a conference just south of Glasgow. IHOP (for all Americans, yes, I think they do like pancakes) is a church that's been having prayer and worship sessions 24 hours a day for the last 11 years!! They've seen some amazing things happen - lives transformed and cool healings. Went to a meeting last night and got pretty much walloped - groaning, crying and laughing like crazy in a space of an hour. Quite tiring, but great!

You just got to love this picture!

So, what's Croatia got to do with all of this? Well, I love Croatia and miss everyone there. I haven't seen them in a very long time (over a year and a half now) and fully intend to go back for a decent amount of time next summer. All that said I'm getting quite desperate for that country. The recession has left it's mark on the country, in 2009 it was reported that in October unemployment increased by 19.6% in one year (http://dalje.com/en-economy/unemployment-soars-in-croatia/281714). A great country which is plagued by corruption down every alleyway. And from what I hear the churches are trying but life isn't easy for them either. Croatia all round is the place to be for a fantastic summer holiday but sounds a bit of a spiritual waste land. And as I'm being blessed with an abundance of God's presence and I am seeing miracles happen in my Church, I hunger to hear God move in power in Croatia.

I want to start hearing of revival in Zagreb. I want to hear of the power and glory of God rise in Croatia. I want to see Croatia come to life. I want to hear of people coming before God, being filled with his Spirit, being transformed. Understanding the relevancy of God in their life. People being healed of age long illnesses. Of employment rising because God is blessing the land. I want God to do something in that country! Ajde Hrvatska, or Hrvatske...whichever it is.

Television and Other Miracles

Hallo!

A lot to write about. While I'm listening to a Misty Edwards album, on a golden suggestion by Mr. Steve Perkins, I'm trying to figure out a way to communicate quite everything I want to say. I guess going with - this has been a mental week pour moi - is a good start.

Sunday, that being the 3rd of October, the 24/7 prayer week started at Hope. Had the opening service at 5pm and I got nicely walloped by the big boss upstairs. Spent an hour and a half laughing uncontrollably while praying with a Turner of the John variety. And basically getting a new (not renewed, but new) passion for God and to see him move in my life.

Ricky Gervais is a mean person...

Then I prayed from 3am till 6am on Monday morning but still amazingly managed to, not only stay awake for the working day, but did reasonably well. But crashed in the evening - going to sleep around 9 o'clock. Wednesday was back down to Sheffield for some Doctrine of Man and the Apostolic and Prophetic. All in all very insightful and feel challenged and have come home to see some amazing stuff happen. Along with the knowledge that An Idiot Abroad by Ricky Gervais is a bit painful to watch but quite funny.


Friday night it was all down to the hospitality of the Harrison's who let me crash at their place since the Merkland Street residence was used by Ignite. Saturday - a working day - then a ceilidh and then two hours of groaning.


"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." Romans 8:26


I just asked God to lead me in prayer and I just could not stop groaning for two straight hours, just being in the prayer room in which the 24/7 prayer was being held - I just kept on going. Got home then and kept groaning. Did a bit more praying that morning and then at Church I just groaned away like crazy. I'm not really one to groan much, but hey, don't really have much to say in the matter. Keep it coming, God!


And now it's Monday. Apparently this is the day in which all big hype is squashed by the reality of yet another working week but something kind of help me out the slump. WITHIN THE NEXT 28 DAYS I WILL BE WORKING PART TIME - so I finally be able to do the hours I need to do the Internship and I can finally get started! Woopdidooda!