Could this be it?

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Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works on man’s behalf.
Psalm 66 v 5

I love the word Awesome. God is an awesome God. He is both fearful and loving.

Dennis the Menace and his friend were coming out of Mrs Brown house having been given a biscuit. Somewhat confused his friend asked, “Is it because we were good that Mrs Brown gave us a biscuit?” Dennis promptly replied, “No it is because Mrs Brown is good that we got given a biscuit!”

This is the same with God. Have you ever stood on top of a cliff and felt fear because of the long drop? This is the same with God. God is both fearful and loving. Psalm 66 v 5 wraps both of these statements up and that is why!

We believe that it is vital that young people are taught the truths of the Bible.
That we are created in the image of God. Genesis 1 v 26-27
That we are sinners and that the consequence of sin is death. Romans 3 v 23 and Ephesians 2 v 1
That our sins are forgiven though the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That to receive this forgiveness we need to embrace the forgiveness offered by the Father through Jesus’ death and resurrection. It has to be personal. When we receive Christ as saviour we become sons of God. That it is faith that causes us to do good works, without faith we cannot be saved but without works our faith will become inactive and die.

In our current post-modern God-less and value less society, where the goals are pleasure seeking with no absolutes and no faith, it is absolutely vital that we give young people a Godly example and direction in life.

In our society where our sense of wonder has gone and we are left on a spiral of unwonder. Where unless we get the next thing or hype our sexual experiences or live in a land of fantasy, life is not worth living.

Young people have so many pressures and very few answers. Too few people willing to walk alongside them and too many people telling them what to do. On a daily basis young people are expected to understand relationships and sex and authority structures (parents, school, police, government), make decisions about GCSE’s, A levels, jobs and even decisions about whether to live or die.

Only God can help young people in their daily lives, and many churches are sadly out of touch with society. We need a church that will radically reach out to young people and impact into every area of their lives. Most importantly, and straight away,

I hope that we can establish a network of people who will pray that will undergird all opportunities and focus on youth in the church. Unless prayer strengthens the work, God will be limited in directing our steps, and we will fail. 2 Chronicles 7 v 14

It’s a bit complicated but a friend is asking us if we want to buy his land. Wow. There are several considerations to do with this. The biggest one in my head right now is that the railway line runs along side the plot. Not sure if that works with “retreat”. However God is bigger and He says “Lean not on your own understanding ” and “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…My ways are higher than your ways”. Please pray that we will seek God with all our hearts and make the right Godly decision.

I walked back from school today, past the land and found myself worshiping God and praying that that would be the experience of anyone who walks past.
Matthew 9v13 “I desire mercy not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Started to pray, Lord who is this retreat for?
I have always thought christians, but hoped that non-christians may be drawn in too.
Is it for non-christians? Doesn’t seam humanly possible that non- christian teenagers would want to come to seek God. Maybe I am underestimanting teenagers and God. Lord please strech my faith.

Matthew 9v 16-17 “new wine into new wineskins” Have we got the focus back to front?

A place of retreat for young people.

Currently the world around is fast moving and concentrates on getting. There are very few spaces left to be still in a persons life and this is especially true of young people.

We plan to build a place of retreat that focuses on bringing space, stillness to a young person’s life. We won’t build climbing towers or fill the place with things to do, rather we will build a site that has walks that will take you on a journey from Genesis to Revelation. A place to be still and contemplate and find God.

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing various posts that will chart this progress of restoration.

Rich

We have found a field that would suit us perfectly in setting up the retreat centre. It is a 6 acre field has a flattish top part (with wonderful views into Lostwithiel) and then sloping to a wooded area and stream at the bottom. It borders some housing and might or might not yield planning permission to build some houses or maybe something else.

As we have started to pray and focus on what God wants it seems that getting some land and starting to provide/build a place of retreat in the form of a garden – a place of quiet would be a beginning. We usually think of a retreat centre as buildings you go and visit and get some quiet and maybe teaching. All along we have wanted to turn the idea of retreat on it’s head – particularly with young people. This is why we think buying this land and building a garden as a place of retreat is next for us.

It is a huge task. Splitting a 6 acre field into a place of retreat. Ideas abound for a rose garden, a secret garden, paths that wind in and out and cause you to believe you’re walking miles. A sensory area, a place of discovery. Maybe some animals, an allotment? How do we include God, so that it isn’t just a ‘nice’ place. There are a lot of questions. You might have more or you might have some answers, please feel free to use the comments box at the bottom of this post to join in this discussion.

And so to the final bit. The land will cost £110,000! We have however agreed with the owner to pay him £60,000 with a further £50,000 if we get planning permission for any development. So we need to raise £60,000. It sounds huge and when I say it I feel like there is no way we can raise that level of money. But I did feel God challenging me to break it down. 60 x £1000. Well we already have some money saved so suddenly it is more like 56 x £1000. So we now need 50 people to give £1000. Ok that still seems a lot. What if 10 people each gave £100. Ok now that is even easier….. You get the drift. If we don’t start somewhere we will never start.

So, I can’t promise anything. All I can do is ask. Please could you pray and see whether this is something you want to be involved in. I am hoping that if we can raise the money without incurring debt we can very quickly move on to the next phase. I have an architect, a very skilled and gifted team who will do all they can to help us see the retreat built but we do need your help.

Pray, pray, pray and visit. Come and take a look at the field and if you feel you can give. The money will go into a Littlebigfoot account where it will be properly accounted for.

Many thanks for reading.

So we want to build a place of retreat. What does that mean and how will it happen?

What does it mean?

We do hope at some point to build a place for folks to come and stay and rest. Right now we believe building a garden for people to come and just find rest is most important. We’re particularly keen to serve young people. It feels like young people lives are constantly filled with activity and to be able to allow them a chance to stop and contemplate is important, to meet with God.

How will it happen

Well we need to buy the land and that is the first step. We would like to buy a piece of land near Lostwithiel. It is currently being sold for £110,000 which is a lot of money! We are seeking God and hoping He will provide. It is 6 acres and has a tumbled down building on it. We might be able to build at some point in the future but to get started, to get building would be so exciting.