Here comes the summer

Dave here again. You must be getting fed up of me.

Writing a note to Paula to tell her that it's time for a bit of bloggage from Canada put me in mind of all things summery and Soul Survivorish (since my number 2 memory from last year is seeing her on the dancefloor in a truly disco-esque wig). For that time is getting near again. On this, the longest day of 2007, GCSEs have for the most part finished, and even 'A'-levellers are coming to and end of their exams. University terms are, in general, long finished. Apart from a couple of weeks' schoolwork for those still in secondary education, and a few stragglers on specialist courses like nursing and music colleges, life for young people is grinding to a halt for summer.

There is no better time than now to thank you for your prayers for all our young people in their exams, and to thank God for his blessings. Thank you! Most of those who have flown the nest, as well as those left in it, will probably be seeing fairly full calendars ahead of them for the summer, with camps, holiday clubs and perhaps even an exotic jaunt all fast approaching.

But one thing that I would love to ask church members to start getting behind in prayer is this year's Soul Survivor festival. If you don't know much about it, it's a 5-day event for Christian young people, about ten thousand of whom gather to stay in tents and head to the big top for a mix of 'worship, teaching and ministry'. I think I'm right in saying it's been one of the highlights of the WAM year since we started going in 2001; it certainly has been for me. A real time to engage with God, as well as to get to know one another and let our hair down (or, in some cases, put our wigs on!)

I said that Paula's moves were part of my 2nd most favourite memory. I know it's difficult to conceive that anything could top that, but one thing does for me, and that's seeing God drawing us closer to himself. We took our biggest group last year -- twenty in all -- and of that bunch, three WAMers gave their lives to Jesus to become Christians. That's what it's all about! OK, maybe not just that, since we are called to make disciples and not just converts. The hard work goes on in the daily grind at Denefield, Theale Green, university, the workplace... wherever we end up.

This year, I'm going to be unable to make the festival, but I will be praying that for those who go (leaders and young people), it will be another mountain-top experience of joy, and that God will bring changed young people back down into the valley to live and work to his praise and glory. And I'd love you to join me in that prayer! Why not put it on a Post-It in the front of your Bible and remember our young people every day as God prepares them for Soul Survivor in August?