A Year to be Thankful For

Well, it's Christmas this week, which is hard to believe. Everything is definitely wrapping up for the year and plans for next year are starting to be worked out.

Uni Fellowship end of year BBQ

It has been such a blessing to have had the opportunity to do MTS this year and I am so thankful to God for what he has done in and through me this year, both for the benefit of those I am serving and training me for the future.

As my commitments and meetings with people have finished, it has been very encouraging to reflect and see the growth in both of my ministry contexts. Although it can be harder to see from the week to week, God continues to be faithful in bringing people to closer maturity in Christ and it is a privilege to be an instrument of that.

Here are some reflections from the year for which we can be thankful to God!

I could easily make a huge list of things I have learned, like my competence in teaching the Bible in different contexts, to new understandings of different worldviews but here are two that stick out to me.

Even before I started MTS something that I have struggled to work out as I have thought about ministry, is the way I relate to others. If you have met me before, you have probably noticed that I am quite an introvert. While I do enjoy being around other people, I do naturally find it hard to be effectively engaged in conversations. As the work of ministry is one focused on people, sometimes I can feel discouraged when I am unable to communicate the way I feel I should.

I have been encouraged however from what people have mentioned in the ways they have seen me engaging with others and getting to know them well. I have also grown in my understanding of how I work with others. Being someone who likes to be efficient in my work, providing space for people to do things differently can be a great opportunity for others to grow in leadership.

It's comforting to continue to be reminded of this truth from 2 Corinthians.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Recent Ministry Training Night

Over the whole year as I have been serving at The Branch something that I continue to appreciate is the privilege to be meeting with other Christians every single Sunday. It is truly a gift from God that he doesn't just leave us to work out how to live for him by ourselves but he has given us his Church to help encourage and build each other up so that we can focus on bringing glory to him.

Sundays are usually the biggest day of the week for me as I attend both congregations but it is always worthwhile. It is always edifying getting to hear from different people what God is doing in their lives as well as learning and applying the word together

I was particularly encouraged recently as my entire Growth Group affirmed their faith and became official members of our church. One of them became a Christian earlier and was baptised on that Sunday and two others had only started attending at the start of the year. It has been amazing to see how they have all integrated so well into the church and are able to connect with many different people.

I am so glad that the apprenticeship goes over two years. This year has gone very quickly and there are many skills and lessons that I have gained. Having another year will be a great way to properly put them into practice, having a better understanding of what I should be doing from the start.

My hope and prayers for the year to come are to continue to grow in the things I have mentioned as well as my dependence on God through prayer and the Word.

I hope to gain more diverse experience in campus ministry and potentially pastoral care. I'm hoping to have more opportunities to lead publically which I have already been doing but also to do more preaching after my first sermon at The Branch this Sunday. Whatever I do end up doing either next year or after that, may it all be for the Lord who deserves all glory and praise.

• Pray that I would ongoingly be prayerfully dependent in all aspects of my life and ministry.
• Ask God to continue to grow my understanding of how I relate with others and my love for the Church.
• May all that I do, be for the Lord's glory and not my own.
• Pray for good rest during my 3 weeks of holidays as I get ready for the new year.