Life

It’s been quite a while since I last wrote.

Since then I have moved home, started a new job and settled in a new church. It has been a strange and challenging time, of finding my feet in ‘proper adult life’, finding a routine and trying to listen to God in the midst of all that!

I can’t say much about my work on here, but it has been challenging, eye-opening and formative, and, for the most part, enjoyable. I often have to actively look for, and ask God for clues, as to where God is at work, it’s certainly not obvious, but then, I’m not sure what I should have expected in that regard – I am no longer working for a church, after all!

It is however, as it nears Christmas, probably a good time to reflect on what I have learnt this ‘term’, through all 3 aspects of the changes in my life.

Work

1. The need to listen carefully to my colleagues, not just for the purposes of work, but in terms of their emotions, feelings and the affect that this has on relationships and morale. From a Christian perspective, I have found it essential to pray about how I carry the Holy Spirit with me, and to be aware of how I act, speak and work, so that I can be a light, even when others around are negative, critical of colleagues and managers, or just got out of bed the wrong side!

2. The necessity of learning more about my work and all that surrounds that, in order that I can make wise, informed decisions, and sensibly, politely and firmly challenge others’ decisions with assurance.

3. The need for gratitude, affirmation and encouragement. This both refers to what I need (and am aware that it is sometimes lacking), and is also an observation of how morale improves generally when the above are a normal and habitual part of colleague relationships. I have tried to form a habit myself of thanking my colleagues when they have done work (even when it is simply part of their job role), which has enabled something to be completed, and to encourage them with good news of tasks that we have been working on jointly being completed. It’s a good habit to get into!

 

Church

1. One of the big things for me has been the move from a large church, with little liturgy and ‘modern songs’ sung in a period of extended worship, to a church in which liturgy (sung!) is interchanged with hymns. Firstly, a lot of these hymns I don’t know particularly well, and secondly, sung liturgy is completely new to me, and I’m still learning when to go up and down! However, it’s been very important for me to recognise that I can, and still am, meet with God in these services. This can mean listening to the words of the hymns or liturgy if I’m struggling with the tune, or focusing to start with on those parts of the service that I am familiar with, the bible reading and sermon.

2. Fellowship with all ages is vital. I have joined a house group this term, and it has been wonderful to learn from ladies who have been part of the church and following God for longer than I’ve been alive, as well as some younger members who have lots of wisdom and love to share with me.  I particularly enjoyed taking part in our Knitivity, being able to meet a family and another member of the congregation who live near me, and I hope to be able to get them more in the coming months. Their wisdom and life experience, as well as their love and welcome, has been really important in helping me settle in the church. At the same time, I have begun to realise that it is vital for me, as a younger member of the congregation to continue having fellowship with younger Christians across the city and country (and even world!) Skype is a wonderful gift, that has enabled me to catch up with, and pray for and with, friends who are in different cities and even countries. Along with that, I am wanting to be able to see my friends (mostly from last year) who are in Leicester, a little bit more often – although of course, we are all very busy, so it’s not easy!

3. Sometimes it’s OK to not be fully involved, but that can’t last forever. Having been involved in a church to the full last year, as an intern, the pause that came from having moved house, started a new job and joined a new church has been both strange and welcome. Welcome, because settling into a new home and job, and meeting new people and building relationships in another church is an essential but time-consuming process in itself, and to have tried to serve and prepare for things whilst also trying to find a routine that maintains energy and health would have been far too much for me. However, as this term has gone on, I have begun to notice that my expectation of God acting in my current places of significance (particularly work) has decreased. That may be because it is an intensely secular environment, where, as I mentioned, you have to actively and deliberately be on the look out for opportunities and the signs of His Spirit. Yet, I also suspect it is because, having not been actively involved in a church life for a while, I have seen less of God’s work generally, and less able, therefore, to celebrate His acts. As a consequence, my ‘spiritual senses’, have perhaps become a bit dull, and blunt. Having realised this, I have begun to explore ways to get involved, and am very excited to join a team helping both long-term members of our church and people who have not been to church in a long time to meet Jesus, either for the first time, or again, afresh.

Home

1. Living alone requires discipline, something I observe as an ‘area for improvement’! As with every home, there are things that need to be done – cleaning, tidying, washing up, to name a few! I’ve never been good at any of these areas. I sort of hoped that living alone would remove my previous excuses for not doing the following – after all, it is now definitely all my own mess. Unfortunately, whilst I definitely no longer have that excuse, that doesn’t mean I’ve actually managed to stay on top of any of it. Part of that is due to how exhausted (literally) that I am in the evenings, so of course it builds up during the week, and I never quite catch up over the weekends. However, I also know that I could improve if I was more disciplined about some of the basic tasks, so that’s an area I’ll be trying to improve in the coming months!
2.  Living alone can be lonely! It sounds obvious, but as a definite introvert, it’s not really something that bothers me during the week – I have enough human interaction at work! Yet, at weekends, I do wish I can see close friends more, and more friends of my own age, be they friends that I have known for a while, or friends who I am just making! I’m very thankful for Skype!
3. It’s a little scary being grown up, and having a salary, rent, bills and budgeting to manage. I think I’m doing OK, but it can be a bit daunting, especially when unexpected costs happen – this term I’ve needed both my headlights and sidelights replaced, which has been rather frustrating, but that comes with having a car, and is just part of growing up…!

I’ll try and blog again a bit sooner next time!