The Inner Net

Our new world is a small one. The internet is a crazy current of communiucation channels that connect us like never before.

David Bowden's slam poem explores our need for the deep heart connections that create community, a communion deeper than those found in superficial communication. It's a good one.

Monday Morning Miracle

There's nothing like a Monday morning miracle to start the week.

A friend of mine called Tom Mullins was met on the streets of London just over a year ago, and was offered a stay at one of our houses, New Creation Farm (one of three shared Christian Community 'Farm' houses within a few hundred yards). He was bowled over by Jesus and the love he found amongst us, and was very quickly baptised and committed to live his whole life for Jesus with us.

Six months ago someone gave Tom a word from God that he'd lose vision for a time but through it the guys around him would pull together and learn to support one another. Of course, we all expected 'vision' to mean 'a positive outlook', but then tragedy struck and he lost sight in one eye. A couple of weeks later the other eye went too, and he could only make out vague blobby shapes. Light hurt his eyes. It was painful to see a friend go through, and needless to say tragic for Tom too.

Tom went through some really tough times. One Sunday night at the end of summer last year he was very down and doubting everything he was living for, feeling very negative. Fred and Andy, the guys who took him home from the evening meeting were adament that he should stay positive, and that he knew deep down that what he was living for was real, was true.

That night Tom had a dream that he was walking down Northampton's high street with his white stick and dark glasses when a white dove landed in his hands, which he could see. In the morning Fred got a call from Tom who'd just woken up, and he told him about the dream, quite extroardinary in itself. Tom told Fred that he thought there was a bird on his bedroom windowsill, probably a dove. Could he come and check for him?

Really reluctant to shatter Tom's newfound shred of hope Fred cautiously made his way around the outside of the house to look for this crow or whatever he thought it would be, and there was a white bird, perched on Tom's windowsill. They edged their way slowly over to it and it even allowed Tom to stroke it.

Breakfast

On many occasions people prayed for Tom's eyes. Life continued.

Last night Tom re-dedicated his life to Jesus.

At 5am this morning Tom ran into our room and woke us all up, saying "I can see!"

While it was still dark he'd gone to the loo and realised he could see the roll of tissue. I mean, it's a wonderful miracle but if I'd been blind for six months I could think of better things to see first than a bog roll!

In the two hours that followed our kitchen was filled with twenty of us from various houses, all come to celebrate, and we saw our second miracle that morning - someone got out the bacon and eggs.

Tom making drinks in my kitchen this morning

You are amazing, so overwhelming,

Totally beyond comparison,

Higher than anything else.

You are amazing, majestically reigning

Full of such wisdom and glory

Authority flows from Your hand

You are amazing

Listen to the song

God's doing new stuff amongst us. Thank you Jesus.

-- Read more on Nathan's blog --

Seasons - Life in Community

Life has seasons. Joy follows pain just as spring succeeds the waning winter.

This uplifting video featured at our recent End of Year Celebration, celebrating and remembering the life of the New Creation Christian Community, a deeply shared lifestyle.



We've decided to give away some seasonal wallpapers to remind us all of the message of the video - that throughout the best and the worst, living to be a people of one heart for Jesus is worth the cost. God is faithful whatever the weather.

Click the pictures above to download them for a widescreen monitor or for standard aspect monitors click the links below:
Spring - Summer - Autumn - Winter 

Orange Candles

This is cool. You can make a candle out of an orange and some cooking oil.

All you have to do is cut the fruit in half and remove the segments, leaving the central stem for a wick. Top up the skin with oil, leaving a bit of wick free for you to light. You can also use a grapefruit or a lemon, but here's one I made out of a tangerine-

Scoop out the other half to make a glowing lantern

It smells nice too.
Thanks to Lifehacker.

Leadership and Creative Autonomy

I'm pondering leadership. 'Task' oriented delegation can stifle the creativity that would otherwise come from 'objective' delegation.

Maybe that's confused you. In much more eloquent words Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the French aviator and author of “The Little Prince”, wrote,

If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.

Of course, a leader needs to give orders, but more importantly he or she should enthuse the team with the vision and give them creative sway in it's fulfilment. Ownership is loyalty.

Here's a looong but fascinating video from RSA with insight on what motivates and engages us - RSA Animate - Drive.