Perranporth has been an important part of our year for the past four years. Every time we've been, we've always received a whole lot more than it seems like we've given.
Just to give you a bit of background, I have had a number of roles at Perran - last year I was a housekeeper (or domestic goddess as I preferred to be addressed), the previous years I helped in Minors and amazingly God journeyed with me in both of these roles.
The thing about Perran is it's not just about the place, which is beautiful, it's also about the people. The way I see it, God has a very special plan for Perranporth - it's a place where many people visit and have visited for hundreds if not thousands of years. Did you know this is the mission's 114 year of being held in Perran. I feel very privileged that God would want me to join all those who went before me, doing His plan this year. I know I'm not the only one to feel this way.
What's great, is that God's timing is perfect and to be caught up in that this year feels incredibly exciting and humbling. I don't want to let God down, but at the same time as long as my prayer is to do His will, me and the rest of the Team can't go far wrong.
So let's start with thanking our loving Heavenly Father for all He has done in the past at this very special place. It is a place of unfathomable beauty, a place that I can hand on heart say there is no manmade design work here. The power of the sea always astounds me and goes some way to show me the power and strength our God has - if He can make the waves do that, how much more can He Himself do?? So what I'm trying to say in a very long winded way, is that in Perranporth, people meet God, some would say in a tangible way. If you want evidence that there is a God, just look around Perranporth, because He is everywhere.
But in stark contrast to the beauty of the beach, the cliff faces and Chapel Rock, Perranporth is also a place of intense poverty. Many of the young people who I've met at the holiday club or during the afternoon activities, appear out of boredom and when you speak to them, the prospect doesn't look good, not for their parents and definitely not for them. Part of me wants to cry out to them 'Come and meet Jesus, He will take care of your every need'. The reality is that many locals just don't know who Jesus is and would find it very hard to work out what His saving grace would mean to them. So join me please as the preparations for explaining just that, to pray for those who will be telling the people of Perranporth about Jesus, that He does love them and care about them and is interested in them and that they are only a pray away from experiencing the true nature of our loving heavenly Father. Give the team wisdom in how to explain this amazing truth in a real and understandable way. Give all the Team a heart for knowing what God would have them say when they get into conversation with the people of Perranporth. Please pray too for those on the Inner Green manning the newest edition of 360 beach mission - 'The Big Purple Gazebo'. This will be a constant visible point for all who are in Perran for two weeks to come to pray, to drink tea, eat cake, learn more about God, to meet with God's people with a heart for Perranporth. Please pray the people manning the gazebo will have courage and hospitality in abundance and that God will bless His people through their words and deeds.
My next prayer request has a thanks element as well as an ask element. At the Team Day we were asked to pray that the Lord would provide £700 so that every young person and child who attends the morning holiday clubs could receive a Bible and some study notes encouraging them to read God's Word and know His promises for them. The amazing bit is that we have heard that a trust has set aside £1000 for this purpose. Isn't it amazing when God's exceeds our expectations! and really we shouldn't expect anything else. The next part of this journey is that we are still waiting for the money to get to the bank account. We would ask you to pray that that would be very soon.
My final prayer point for tonight is for the Team themselves. Please pray that they and I would seek God's heart for Perranporth Beach Mission 2013, that theirs and my actions would not be driven by selfish ambition or service performed to bring glory to ourselves, but that everything that's done will give glory only to the Father, who has planned and prepared all things in advance. May we be Your vessels Father God, emptied in readiness to be filled up and moved to action by You.
Thanks for reading. I hope you've found some direction for your prayers for Perranporth Beach Mission 2013.
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