Autumn Antics
Good things come to those who wait patiently on the Lord...
Gosh so much has happened recently I would say my life is irecognizable to a few months ago. This is mainly due to the fact that about 5 months ago a young dutch man who has been my friend for quite a few years now decided to try his luck in barging his way into my life. At the time I didn't really know what was happening, and he established himself in my life rather quickly moving his whole life over here to start again and be part of my life as well as following the call of God on his life. In time I realised that I had had a gem in my reach all along but just not recognised it. Like I have said on several Instagram and facebook posts that good things come to those who wait. As many of you know I have waited an awfully long time. After being on my own for so long I can't imagine life without him. My life has been a roller coaster with many twists and turns highs and lows but it has been amazing.
Gosh so much has happened recently I would say my life is irecognizable to a few months ago. This is mainly due to the fact that about 5 months ago a young dutch man who has been my friend for quite a few years now decided to try his luck in barging his way into my life. At the time I didn't really know what was happening, and he established himself in my life rather quickly moving his whole life over here to start again and be part of my life as well as following the call of God on his life. In time I realised that I had had a gem in my reach all along but just not recognised it. Like I have said on several Instagram and facebook posts that good things come to those who wait. As many of you know I have waited an awfully long time. After being on my own for so long I can't imagine life without him. My life has been a roller coaster with many twists and turns highs and lows but it has been amazing.
However I do think I was under the false impression that a relationship would be a bowl of roses there have definitely been many challenges and it has been hard at times. That being said he is a wonderful man and I couldn't have asked for anyone better. In fact despite a number of people saying you mustn't have a list. Nevertheless God knew me and some months ago before my love story started God spoke to me and said that just as he had provided my flat with everything that I needed including kettle toaster and microwave in the same way he would provide a husband with everything I needed.
God is sooooo faithful, I will be writing more about this love story and how this story unfolded over the last 5 months or even last 4 years. So watch this space........
God Provides what we need
God Provides what we need
I have now been in my flat for a year and it has been such a blessed time. I have had some lovely times with my daddy God. I have also loved the opportunity to have lots of friends around for meals. If any of you knew me before you would never say that Angela would be content living on her own but it has been a great year and I have loved living on my own after sharing for so many years.
Perhaps this extrovert has turned into an introvert in her later years, mind I know I have many years left yet. As I finish the first half of my life as a single person I will be entering the second half as a married later but more about that later on.
Perhaps this extrovert has turned into an introvert in her later years, mind I know I have many years left yet. As I finish the first half of my life as a single person I will be entering the second half as a married later but more about that later on.
I had a great year working at the church I learnt a lot about administration especially from my amazing boss who was and remains a friend. I miss it a lot but it was time to go out into the world and find a job. I have been knocking on the doors of agencies for the last few weeks and up to now I have had work apart from the last couple of days. However as I haven't had any time off recently I am taking advantage of this welcome break.
Why study?
I tried very hard to get a youth work role in the third sector which tended to be for organisations dealing with crisis situations where they social workers would be more suited.
After some chats with leaders I realized that rather than having a career God was calling me to have an occupation that was tent making. So after circling around it for many years at this stage of life I am considering teaching, although as I look into the salaried option which is the only one I can do. It is clear that it isn't as straight forward as I was thinking with many options and training providers. Thankfully one of my good friends is in careers guidance so hopefully she will help me through the maze of teacher training options.
I qualified as a youth worker a few years ago and I haven't ever been able to obtain a youth work role which has been frustrating. Still the reason why I did the qualification was not to work in secular youth work. Neither was it to learn how to be a youth work, this is good because I didn't learn to be one. There was nothing about behaviour or how to run sessions, I learnt more about the political climate and sociology which was disappointing.
Why did I do it and spend all that money I hear you ask when I knew it was unlikely that I would get a youth work role as there are not many of them out there. I went through 4 years of University in order to be qualified to have credibility in my field.
So when I start my own project people in authorities would see that I am qualified and I know what I am talking about.
Introducing Renovate Cafe a vision unfolds
The reason why I am only going to do a paid job as a tent making venture is because for many years now I have had the vision to set up a community and youth cafe which will operate into the later evening for young people who need a living room and somewhere to hang out.
I have always felt called to those youth that others have discarded as people who will never be able to get out of their situation and who will be plagued with mental illiness and be on benefit.
It appalls me the way that we condemn young people and even those who are very little at face value just because of the problems that they present to you.
Recently I worked in a primary school where some children at 4 years old are already being condemned by the education system which is set up it would appear to me to pander to those who are more academic leaving everyone behind. I was told recently that the government only recommends that we differentiate upwards, all this is just shocking.
In the natural we are patheing the way for a society with more criminals and those who struggle with mental illiness and who are on benefits even though we know that our benefits system is beginning to crash.
We must start picking up these children in the early years giving them attention and helping them through the issues they are already facing.
Nevertheless the words we speak to and over children and furthermore young people has great power in their lives. It is amazing what affirmation and believing in someone can do.
My youth work qualification has helped in getting me a couple of days in Pupil referral units, schools which young people who can not cope with the education system go to. I have really enjoyed working there, so I am hoping that a role comes up in one of these in the not too distant future. I have hope for these young people despite the staff who work with them already labeling. I understand that I may have experienced the nice side of some of the pupils. I guess what I like about PRU's is the approach to teaching is a similar approach as youth work. Even when I get my teaching qualification I would like to work in one of these type of schools. Perhaps I will look back at what I have said I will look back and eat these words.
I have a strong sense I am called to build the kingdom and that I am called to these kind of young people, it can be hard because you get continually rejected. Nevertheless when you are able to actually engage in a conversation and even more still when you can help them to engage in a lesson and a piece of work its amazing.
The cafe will reach out to these kind of young people heaping love over them and speaking hope and affirmation helping them to see beyond their limitations. It really scares me that we have a generation who continue to depend on our benefit system which is going to crash and take many people with it.
I'm not speaking doom it's just what I see happening. At the same time I believe that it is so important that we at the church are ready with that safety net and even before that, that we go fishing for those young people and rescue them.
I have been getting the sense that God wants me to live by faith in the salary sense of the word, this combined with tent making which will include the type of roles I have had along with selling art and who knows writing too. The reason for this is explained below...
I have been waiting for 20 years to step into this cafe dream and now I believe that God is saying is the time. Back in June I fasted and prayed and asked God to send me a team to start this project. As when I returned from my holiday from Spain I felt that there was going to be a significant shift I had no idea how big that would be. Two days later I was talking with this guy friend on Private messenger about my ideas for the cafe. He immediately said I am going to come over to help you with this, to be honest I took it with a pinch of salt. Nonetheless months later he moved his whole life over here to be with me as he is now much more than a mission partner but my partner in every way, more about this in the next blog....
With this major part of the puzzle in place its time to find the other parts of the puzzle which will make up the whole picture.
Renovate Cafe as it will eventually be called when we find a venue, staff, and equipment will be a community cafe during the day with activities and healthy snacks for local people in an estate. Then in the evening from after school it will become a safe place for young people to hang out with subsidized shakes etc, video consoles and those things you would find in a youth club. However there will also be services like careers guidance, employability sessions, counselling and different type of arts workshops.
We will be setting this initiative up as Community interest company as we feel that this is the best for the cafe to be financially viable.
We are going to need many people to see this vision accomplished and if you would like to be involved please get in touch we would love to hear from you.
Obviously seeing this vision birthed will not be cheap but we believe that God will provide if this a way that you feel God is leading you to be involved again we would love to hear from you.
We would ask you to pray for us as we embark on this exciting new project and some other projects we will be telling you about in the new year.
Why study?
I tried very hard to get a youth work role in the third sector which tended to be for organisations dealing with crisis situations where they social workers would be more suited.
After some chats with leaders I realized that rather than having a career God was calling me to have an occupation that was tent making. So after circling around it for many years at this stage of life I am considering teaching, although as I look into the salaried option which is the only one I can do. It is clear that it isn't as straight forward as I was thinking with many options and training providers. Thankfully one of my good friends is in careers guidance so hopefully she will help me through the maze of teacher training options.
I qualified as a youth worker a few years ago and I haven't ever been able to obtain a youth work role which has been frustrating. Still the reason why I did the qualification was not to work in secular youth work. Neither was it to learn how to be a youth work, this is good because I didn't learn to be one. There was nothing about behaviour or how to run sessions, I learnt more about the political climate and sociology which was disappointing.
Why did I do it and spend all that money I hear you ask when I knew it was unlikely that I would get a youth work role as there are not many of them out there. I went through 4 years of University in order to be qualified to have credibility in my field.
So when I start my own project people in authorities would see that I am qualified and I know what I am talking about.
Introducing Renovate Cafe a vision unfolds
The reason why I am only going to do a paid job as a tent making venture is because for many years now I have had the vision to set up a community and youth cafe which will operate into the later evening for young people who need a living room and somewhere to hang out.
I have always felt called to those youth that others have discarded as people who will never be able to get out of their situation and who will be plagued with mental illiness and be on benefit.
It appalls me the way that we condemn young people and even those who are very little at face value just because of the problems that they present to you.
Recently I worked in a primary school where some children at 4 years old are already being condemned by the education system which is set up it would appear to me to pander to those who are more academic leaving everyone behind. I was told recently that the government only recommends that we differentiate upwards, all this is just shocking.
In the natural we are patheing the way for a society with more criminals and those who struggle with mental illiness and who are on benefits even though we know that our benefits system is beginning to crash.
We must start picking up these children in the early years giving them attention and helping them through the issues they are already facing.
Nevertheless the words we speak to and over children and furthermore young people has great power in their lives. It is amazing what affirmation and believing in someone can do.
My youth work qualification has helped in getting me a couple of days in Pupil referral units, schools which young people who can not cope with the education system go to. I have really enjoyed working there, so I am hoping that a role comes up in one of these in the not too distant future. I have hope for these young people despite the staff who work with them already labeling. I understand that I may have experienced the nice side of some of the pupils. I guess what I like about PRU's is the approach to teaching is a similar approach as youth work. Even when I get my teaching qualification I would like to work in one of these type of schools. Perhaps I will look back at what I have said I will look back and eat these words.
I have a strong sense I am called to build the kingdom and that I am called to these kind of young people, it can be hard because you get continually rejected. Nevertheless when you are able to actually engage in a conversation and even more still when you can help them to engage in a lesson and a piece of work its amazing.
The cafe will reach out to these kind of young people heaping love over them and speaking hope and affirmation helping them to see beyond their limitations. It really scares me that we have a generation who continue to depend on our benefit system which is going to crash and take many people with it.
I'm not speaking doom it's just what I see happening. At the same time I believe that it is so important that we at the church are ready with that safety net and even before that, that we go fishing for those young people and rescue them.
I have been getting the sense that God wants me to live by faith in the salary sense of the word, this combined with tent making which will include the type of roles I have had along with selling art and who knows writing too. The reason for this is explained below...
I have been waiting for 20 years to step into this cafe dream and now I believe that God is saying is the time. Back in June I fasted and prayed and asked God to send me a team to start this project. As when I returned from my holiday from Spain I felt that there was going to be a significant shift I had no idea how big that would be. Two days later I was talking with this guy friend on Private messenger about my ideas for the cafe. He immediately said I am going to come over to help you with this, to be honest I took it with a pinch of salt. Nonetheless months later he moved his whole life over here to be with me as he is now much more than a mission partner but my partner in every way, more about this in the next blog....
With this major part of the puzzle in place its time to find the other parts of the puzzle which will make up the whole picture.
Renovate Cafe as it will eventually be called when we find a venue, staff, and equipment will be a community cafe during the day with activities and healthy snacks for local people in an estate. Then in the evening from after school it will become a safe place for young people to hang out with subsidized shakes etc, video consoles and those things you would find in a youth club. However there will also be services like careers guidance, employability sessions, counselling and different type of arts workshops.
We will be setting this initiative up as Community interest company as we feel that this is the best for the cafe to be financially viable.
We are going to need many people to see this vision accomplished and if you would like to be involved please get in touch we would love to hear from you.
Obviously seeing this vision birthed will not be cheap but we believe that God will provide if this a way that you feel God is leading you to be involved again we would love to hear from you.
We would ask you to pray for us as we embark on this exciting new project and some other projects we will be telling you about in the new year.
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