Last update from Banbury (hopefully!!)

Hi everyone

Sorry, bit late with my post, thought I had loads of time until it was my turn but looks like that time has flown by.

Life is proving to be quite stressful at the moment but its all for things that will be worth it. We have managed to find a buyer for our flat and its all currently going through the solicitors at the moment. We were meant to exchange contracts this week but we are just waiting for some information that the other solicitors have requested, so things are in limbo at the moment. We hope for everything to complete next week and we can then move out.

We're currently assessing where we are going to go next and in the meantime Adam and I are going to live back with our parents. We're not really looking forward to only seeing each other at weekends but know that its the best thing to do in the short term.

Things in the block of flats we are in are not always nice. We can hear quite a lot from the flat above us which can get us down when we are tired from a day at work and hours of travelling, so that is something we will definitely not miss.

I think my last post mentioned that I was still chasing my solicitor (another one!!) for some more treatment for my neck. Well, I've now finished that treatment and am chasing her again for the next step. The whole process has been extremely stressful and its amazing to think that I am getting treated this way when I am the injured party!! The treatment I did receive was excellent though. I had a course of acupuncture which I was very anxious about at first but it was great! I'm not the biggest fan of needles so was glad that I couldn't see the 15 needles sticking out of my neck, back and legs! I would really recommend it for various things including stress as it gives you a nice relaxing feeling. This treatment really helped with my neck pain but unfortunately the approved course ran out and I still haven't been approved any more sessions. This was frustrating both for myself and my physiotherapist as she could see the improvements too. Hopefully my solicitor will get something sorted soon.

Adam passed his 3rd year at uni and got really good grades which made all the late nights working worth while. Year 4 has started which is the final year of Part 1.

Well, I think I better stop babbling on but will try and remember to post an update once everything has got moving again.

I hope everyone is well

Fi
-x-

For prayer

- The sale of our flat goes through soon and the move goes smoothly
- The finish of my accident claim so I can have some closure and hopefully make a full recovery
- Guidance for our future and decisions on where that may be so we can feel settled and safe
- Strength for Adam to find time and energy to do his uni work in any "spare" time.

Praise for

- The amazing support of both our families in everything that we choose to do
- Being able to sell our flat and be proud of what we have achieved in doing it up
- Adams amazing results with his uni course.

Living strategically?

Hey guys

It's been great to read how stuff is going with all of you. I was happily surprised when I checked the blog yesterday and found three new posts! Second year is great, and now that I'm returning as a settled student (rather than a fresher like last year), I'm finding that I'm wasting less time twiddling my thumbs and wondering what to do next.

Recently, I have been challenged by a book given to me by a friend at church, called "the Fuel and the Flame" by Steve Shadrach. If you consider yourself serious about being a Christian on campus, I'd recommend it highly (so far) -- despite the occasional wincing caused by the various Americanisms. It's been reinforcing the message that God has been throwing at me from many different angles recently: you're at university primarily as a missionary, and then as a student, so start living like you believe it! I wasn't, before you start wondering, living a debaucherous lifestyle last year, and indeed was encouraged to be able to meet up occasionally with certain friends and be asked about Jesus, the Gospel and the Christian life.

It was a reasonable start, but perhaps God is calling us to be a bit more radical. To really prioritise his work, not just sort of... which is, well, sort of what I have been doing. This assumes, of course, that we're keen to see other people become Christians because it's the best thing in the world. How best to meet other people and share the good news of Jesus than to live with them? With 75% of my housemates already Christians, though, my house is a bit of a holy huddle.

Steve Shadrach writes: 'why do you live where you live? Was it a decision made from strategy or comfort? Many believers I know want to find a place where they can have their own bedroom, kitchen, stereo system and entertainment centre. They don't want any interruptions, curfews, or rules. When I see this, I can't help but think about Proverbs 18:1, which says, "He who separates himself seeks his own desire." [...] The point is if you and I really are Great Commission Christians, we're going to live in the *most* strategic place in order to impact students for Jesus Christ in the broadest and deepest way possible.'

That has really challenged me. I did not enjoy living in halls last year. I like living in a house. But, if I'm honest with myself, the reasons for this preference are mostly selfish ones of comfort. I have not finished my thinking on this one, just knew I ought to post and so wanted to share what God has been saying in the past few minutes.

Otherwise, today has been a good, if busy, day. I met lots of freshers as a PASS (peer-assisted study scheme) mentor, was encouraged that our departmental prayer group has quadrupled in size in the past three to four weeks (amazing what Facebook and a few texts can do!) and have enjoyed helping out on an Alpha course where I'm leading worship. Hooray. And now I'm off to bed.

Hope that post wasn't too heavy!
Much love
Dave


For praise:
* The challenge of a call to being a better disciple and disciple-maker
* Encouragement of Alpha, departmental prayer-mushrooming and CU stuff
* Lots of time for 'holy leisure', i.e. meeting people for breakfast/coffee/lunch/afternoon tea (at least 3 such appointments tomorrow alone!)
* I'm doing a module in New Testament Greek, which is great fun

For prayer:
* That more people would invite friends to Alpha -- we only had one non-Christian tonight
* That the head of department would be generous in giving us another room for our prayer meeting; we have run out of space in the current one and there are even more people who have told me they plan to start coming
* That I might be bolder in sharing the Gospel with people, cos I'm not the best at it!
* Guidance over the 'strategic living' issues outlined above

Life as a fresher

Hi all!
I realise I missed my turn before I left but I'd just like to share with you the amazing experience I'm having as a first year at durham university. This week has been freshers week for me, and despite being one of the most tiring weeks of my life has been so much fun. I am very lucky to have some amazing people living with me on my floor including some christians. I have been to numerous parties and events that both my college and university have put on and have met loads of wonderful people. This morning I attended an introduction to the CU and I'm very excited about attending a new church tomorrow. I'm so lucky to have met so many like-minded people, both christians and non. I would love for you to join me in thanking God for that, and to pray with me for all of them, that I might encourage them in their walk with christ, wherever they are on that journey.
Fiona xxx