Signs and Discussions Galore!

It started at the Corps Retreat. Signs. That's all I can say. A weekend full of signs. Not quite sure what they were meaning (although I'm starting to get an idea...) but there were loads of them. Physical signs (thinks 70's night for those of you who were there..). Emtional signs (a great feeling of awe towards God's creation - star gazing one night). Signs, signs and more signs.

Although there may be a deeper meaning, which I'm working on figuring out, they all pointed out the same constant message to me. God was there with me. With us. It was an incredible feeling. I could sense Him watching over us, sense His presence throughout the weekend - which was for Him and for our relationship with Him.

I have a feeling that weekend was the start of something for me....

I've been at school today - immediate thought this morning was "Gonna be a good day. Only two lessons and one isnt really classed as a lesson!" I never realised this morning how much of a good day it would turn out to be...

I got up late this morning, well later than usual as I had a free period first lesson, so had a little lie in. Got on with my usual morning routine and as I was packing my bag I thought to myself, "Let's pack my Bible - I can find some spare time to start reading Revelation" (Revelation because of the discussion we had yesterday!). So with my Biology books and my P.E folder, my Bible sat, and off I went to school.

P.E passed rather quickly, as it usually does (it's such a great subject!) and I quickly found myself in the Biology lab. Now Biology is a revision session, as I'm currently in year 13 but doing the year 12 Biology course. With year 12 currently being on study leave - they didnt have to go to the lesson unless they wanted extra help with revision. So there we are, four students (3males and me) and our teacher sat going through some practise questions on the topic we've recently been studying (which was Classification of animals and Taxonomy incase anyone was wondering!) with the odd conversation going on, when something was said that I had to respond to "talking of which.." At this point I showed my Bible to one of the lads in the class who I knew had the same sort of background as me. His father is a pastor at a local church and he believed in exactly the same thing as I did. I quickly put it away knowing that my teacher doesnt really believe and tends to laugh and joke about this particular topic that we were slowly getting into.

Curious, Sir asked what it was I'd shown my friend. I responded with "It's nothing, and you'd just critise it anyway." to which he said; "no I won't."
To be creative I told him it was the theory that totally contradicts the evolution theory (which was the subject at that point), and he clicked on. We then suddenly got into a discussion of what I believe about the evolutionary theory, then what my friend believed then what Sir believed and quite quickly it was a discussion about peoples' faiths and what they thought.

Sir said; "I'm not sure what I believe in. I wouldn't say I'm an atheist, but I wouldn't say I believed either. I'm inbetween."

This to me was great news! All this time I've known Sir I thought he was totally against it - here he was saying he wasn't sure! What an opportunity - which I grabbed later on!


After dinner and our little discussion, I was in Sir's office doing my Head Girl duties of collecting lists of people who I needed to badger for money so they could go our prom and etc etc...and ended up sitting in there on my own as all my mates were either in lesson or at home and Sir had gone to take something to main school etc etc... So i decided I'd get out my Bible and start reading Revelation. Around chapter 4, Sir came back into his office and started tapping away at his computer, and I carried on reading. Halfway through chapter 5, I was starting to get slightly confused, so I turned round and mentioned this to him, and he asked what part I was reading, so I told him and he understood why I was confused. It turned out he went to church as a child and he knew bits about what I was reading. I explained to him why I was reading Revelation and he became interested in what I knew about Heaven and what would happen at the end of the world. I don't know a lot but I've read up on it and I do find it very scary, yet interesting. He asked the question "Will I go to Heaven? I've been a good lad with good values - is that not enough?"

So I told him. It's not the goodness of your actions that gets you into Heaven - it's the relationship with God and then the living of the faith that does. And he totally took it on board! I could see him thinking about it and I like to believe that I totally grasped this opportunity that the Lord gave to me and that I've planted something in Sir's heart that will be inquisitive and start a relationship with our Father. I thank the Lord for this, and for helping me talk about my faith in such a natural way. I ask you pray for this teacher, that he will come to know the Lord our Saviour for himself.

After school, I went to tell Sir's colleague - a good friend of mine and a fellow Christain - about these conversations and how excited I am about God working in me. This turned into a full emotional catch up to do with our faith and ended up lasting about 40mins! (I was late for rounders!) She was thrilled that things are changing in my life and that the conversations I had with Sir were of good use to both him and me. She told me she feel's God has placed His hand over our school, with me being Head Girl and using my Christain values to influence discisions I had to make over the past year, and with the two favourite candidates for the next Head Boy both being Christains too. I totally believe that God is working in my school using the young Christains that are about, by His will. I pray that this will continue and that people will see God around them in their everyday surroundings.

And finally, I started a book today - A Walk To Remember - some of you may know the film.
Jamie - the ministers daughter. She carried with her her Bible wherever she went and would read the Bible at lunch and whenever she could. She helped others in ways that put her peers to shame. She believed that everything that happened was the Lord's plan. She was always cheerful, never said a bad word about anyone or to anyone.

Reading the above after a day like today felt like another sign.

Becky - the SA officers daughter. Today took her Bible into school - read it during her free period happily in front of her year head. Helps around school with anything she can, always happy to help with a cheerful smile on her face most of the time. Has had a lot of time thinking about the Lord's plan for her recently, and has had an incredible day doing God's will in her school.

The one day I take my Bible into school becomes the day that may have been the start of saving someone from the wrath of God - the biggest sign and most incredible thing of all!

'Sin has lost it's power,
Death has lost it's sting,
From the grave you've risen,
VICTOROUSLY!

Into marvellous light I'm running,
Out of darkness out of shame,
By the cross you are the Truth,
You are the Life, You are the Way.'