Jesus loves gingers!

Just back from Parachute Christian Festival, exhausted, freshly showered from the first wash in 4 days, sick from processed food, but happy and smiling after a GREAT weekend! Parachute had everything; music, comedy, speakers, dance, charity appeals, discussion groups, basketball games and even their own talent contest! The fact that we were there with a bunch of brilliant fun people was simply the icing on the already scrummy yummy cake (for those of you that can relate, I’m talking about as yummy a cake as Sarah makes!)
It was a brilliant opportunity to hear the thoughts of some incredible speakers including Matt Fielder and Mike Pilavachi. There were a few things that particularly spoke to me this weekend. Firstly was from a seminar by Matt Fielder discussing the book of Esther. Amongst the many interesting points Matt made about this book, he described how purposefully we are all built by God to allow us access to certain places or in certain peoples’ lives (i.e. Esther’s beauty got her into a place of influence in the palace). So really this means that no matter how weird or ugly we perceive ourselves as being, God has fully intended to make you both look the way you do and to be the person you are, and since He loves everyone of His children, He isn’t just ok with who you are and how you look...He LOVES you..EVEN if you’re ginger apparently! But that’s not all! He has created us this way with a purpose in mind, and so it is up to us to stop worrying about our perceived faults and hurry up and get about doing what it is we were purposely built to do!
So in thinking all these things I began to think about my purpose. I have been told that the 3 most important ways to decipher if something for you is in the will of God are 1) that it is scriptural, 2) you have really prayed for guidance with it, and 3) that it has been planted in the very pit of your heart (that mooshy, fuzzy, warm bit that prompts a tear and sets a fire at the same time). The thing that sets all 3 of these on fire for me seems to continue to be to do with international development and seeking justice for the unfortunate. Specifically regarding those with the very least and the most desperate, and finding a way to encourage sustainable empowerment in these desolate settings. This is the one thing that truly makes me squel like a little girl, have butterflies in my tummy, find a tear in my eye and feel at home all at once!
Although I have no real idea yet how I will serve best in this area I am giddy and excited that I will be carried into my purpose (whatever that is) if I am focussed and open. I think it is finally starting to settle in me that we’re only given one life and for anybody’s full potential and influence to be realised and achieved (no matter what that might be)we need to refocus away from insecurities and trying to please others and instead have the boldness to go for what we were made for. We need to let go of our fears and take a few risks. After all if we are bold enough to say we believe in a creative God that has a purpose for us and will provide for us then what’s to fear? It’s funny but one of the most memorable things I think I saw this weekend was on the back of a boy’s hoodie which was actually intended to promote sky-diving, but can be applied to so much more than that, and I hope I never forget: “Fear is always temporary, whereas achievement is permanent.”
Jenn (a proud ginger!)xx