"What are those creatures?" ask the creatures on the right - the ones who are already 'in'. Moomin is undetered and welcomes his new guests. "Be like at home..." Emma and I love this. It speaks to us.
Our friend Nathan Chud also gave us a gift - a copy of his beautiful cd, 'Moratorium'. We really love that too! You can get a copy on Nathan's website... and I'd really recommend reading his awesome poem/prayer thing too, especially if you're a student. Go explore. :)
(#7) sitting, crowded I should say, around a long table in a tiny/tidy cafe somewhere in Edinburgh with an eclectic bunch of conspirators, discussing 24-7 prayer in Scotland. Wardy and I and my sister, Ruth (more on her later), from South of the border - there to listen, learn and encourage. Karl, leader with Morningside Baptist Church, and his intern, Heather. Paul, Alpha Scotland boss-man and catalyst of the Big If year of prayer across Scotland. Lynn from Tear Fund Scotland. Fred, EA Scotland. Crystal, a YWAM-er in Aberdeen and 24-7 Springboard student. Rachel, long-time 24-7-er in Edinburgh, plotting an Edinburgh House of Prayer (EHOP!). Tim, plotting/scheming 24-7 prayer rooms on university campuses. Debbie, from Ayr, beginning to support 24-7 prayer rooms and generally mobilising anything that moves into praying. What a dream team of misfits!! We ate, drank, talked, laughed, wondered... unstrategic, but it will prove significant, I'm absolutely sure. ;)
(#8) conversations about Prayer Spaces in Schools. With Hope from Texas. And with Beth from Ireland. With Debbie from Ayr, and with another woman who works with Scripture Union in Scotland... "would you come and meet the CEO with me?" she asked. With some of the Finnish crowd, and some of my German friends too. With people who have already hosted Prayer Spaces in schools where they are, and with plenty of people who want to. This thing could go crazy... and global!? Go have a look at the Prayer Spaces in Schools website and let me know if you're interested.
(#9) conversations in Edinburgh's wonderful pubs and bars. And good whiskey, of course. Lots of laughter with very special friends - friends I miss so deeply when we have to say goodbye again. Joe and Angie Steinke for instance. Angie once said to me, "I hope we get a place next to yours in Heaven?" Ha ha, I agree. And Etienne and Wilma Piek too. It was so special to go visit with them and their kids - Stefan and Marlene - when I was in South Africa a few weeks ago. I even wore my South Africa footy shirt in their honour during Magnify! Ha ha. I remember writing about a 24-7 gathering years ago and saying that it was like being with "lifelong friends I'd never met before". I think it'll always be that way. I find myself bonding so quickly sometimes... one conversation and our hearts are knit together, futures wrapped in tight, hopes and dreams blended. Bonhoeffer would nod and call this "Christian fellowship".
On the last night, Wardy and I found ourselves in a bar with Susanna from Switzerland and Veronika from Germany and a whole crowd of their friends. We laughed A LOT before finally retiring to our hotels/beds, and then heading home the next morning. A brilliant finale to a brilliant weekend.
(#10) finally, and if I were to pick out a Most Magnificent Magnify Moment, this would probably be it. Again, not really a moment, but... having my sister, Ruth, with me for the weekend. Ruth started her 24-7 Wild Goose internship in September, and she'll spend the best part of the next 7/8 months walking and working with me, learning and reflecting and serving and leading alongside me in all kinds of ways. I absolutely love this kind of thing - experience/reflection-based learning, learning-through-life - and it brings the best out of me. And it's such a privilege to be walking and working this way with my sister, who I love dearly. It was such a thrill to see and hear her connecting in with some of the 24-7 prayer family, making friends, being inspired and encouraged, responding to Holy Spirit's unexpected interruptions... go see what she thought of it all on her wildgooseberryfool blog. :)
And that's it. Ten Magnify Moments. There were hundreds more, of course, but I'm a sucker for the decimal system (I was born in 1971, after all).
:) Love you!
Posted by: Ruth | Tuesday, 12 October 2010 at 06:03 PM