It's OFFICIAL!!

As I am sure you, the three people who read this blog, have already heard... Kerry and I got engaged. On Thursday past (the 12th July) at Crawfordsburn Country Park, I got down on the one knee and asked Kerry would she do me the greatest honour and give me the greatest privilige and pleasure in consenting to be my wife... and she said yes. Any of you who know Kerry will know how blessed and fortunate I am for her to say yes!! We are making arrangements at the minute and although no date has been set we are hoping for the end of August/ start of September 2008. I think I speak for both of us when I say that we are busting for it to come around and that we would value your prayers as we make the plans, and prepare ourselves to live as husband and wife in the model shown to us in the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church.
On this note, I would like to thank any of you reading this who have made a point of making Kerry and I a point of prayer. We have valued it greatly, and may it continue into this new stage of our relationship together.

Congratulations!

Kerry has graduated! The graduation ceremony was to be on Wednesday 4th July, but as that clashed with Kitchy's (Kerry's brother) wedding, Kerry was unable to attend. So, to mark the occassion, Kerry's proud parents (in the picture) held a "fake graduation" to celebrate her success!
Kerry is probably the most diligent, determined, studious person I know. Kerry Kitchen doesn't believe in doing things with anything less than 100 per cent of effort and application. Kerry's university success, of graduating with a high 2:1 degree, is not based on three years of work in Queens University, but has been the culmination of years of diligent study and application in the area of academics.
So, congratulations Kerry! Let's be sure that we pray that God would guide Kerry very clearly as she navigates her way through this next stage of life! I'm very very proud of you Kerrs!

The Happy Couple!

I saw Kitchy today! They are back from their honeymoon and David is heading back into work today. He was still wearing a big smile, and very happy to be married! Let's be sure, that as the wedding has passed, that we continue to pray for David and Victoria. That they will continue to grow spiritually, both individually and collectively; that they will grow in love for one another and that the fires of romance will burn stronger as the days and years pass! They are well suited, and the wedding day was such a joy, now on to the marriage! God bless you both, Kitchy and Victoria!!

New Beginnings...

As from the 31st of July, I will no longer be an employee of the Faith Mission bookshop. My employment is moving closer to my new home here in Lisburn. As of the 1st of August, I become an employee of the House of Vic Ryn, which can be found in Lissue Industrial Estate on the Moira Road. Let me explin why this is such a big deal for many people.

The House of Vic Ryn is a very unique business centre. The website makes it clear that they do not exist to simply provide a service, or simply to make money for the sake of making money, but they are a business with an incredible, God centred and God glorifying vision. Yes, The House of Vic Ryn exists to provide a service, to run business in a proper way but the passion and vision that fuels everything that they do is a deep-seated desire to give help to those who have committed their lives to helping others, and to see the gospel spread and people won to the Lord.

The big deal about me having a new job is not that I have got a new job, although that is big to me. The big deal is what the job means and provides. The next stage of the Vic Ryn vision is the opening of a Christian bookshop in their centre. It is an incredibly exciting veture for two reasons:

1. The service that will be provided

2. The place it will have in the larger Vic Ryn vision.


The Service:
Most of us will agree that the vision of a bible-based ministry is to see people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and for people to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and all to the glory of God. The new bookshop holds this as a major facet of its vision in its immediate context. The location of the bookshop opens it up to reaching people that a normal Christian bookshop can't. Being in the middle of a soon to be retail centre, with already existing businesses in place, the possibility of attracting the passing, non-Christian market gives the exciting prospect of getting good, sound and solid Christian literature, and mainly/especially the Word of God, into peoples hands with the earnest hope and prayer that with the reading of the material, God would move in peoples lives, giving them eyes to see and savour the beauty of Christ and for them to shun sin and hell and cling to Jesus for everything. I think you will agree, a mighty opportunity.
Secondly, to see people grow in their knowledge of Jesus and to be built up in their most holy faith. We get a glimpse of the heart of Jesus when He prays in John 17. We are very priviliged to get an opportunity to hear of such a conversation between the Christ and His Father. We catch a glimpse of the things that are most important to Jesus in those moments, and some of those things that concern us. I am specifically referring to Jesus' request in verse 17 of the chapter when Jesus prays "Sanctify them[b] in the truth; your word is truth."
Clearly, the desire of Jesus is that we become more like Him. We are also told that the way in which that takes place is by "the truth", the Word of God. So, the Word of God is of vital and primary importance. The bookshop will exist to get the Word of God into people's hands, and books that explain the Word and stay true and faithful to it. Many shops have no problem in selling overtly heretical books, this shop will strive to stock only those books that stay frimly true to the fundamental tenets of Christianity. Part of the service of the shop will be to cater for the needs of varying denominational beliefs etc, but there will be NO compromise on those beliefs that are fundamental to Christianity or those things that are just plain wrong!

The Larger Vic Ryn Vision:
Basically, whatever you buy in this shop, the profit will also be a part in accomplishing the larger Vic Ryn vision which is to give help and support to missionary and charitable causes. When you shop with us, you won't be making me rich, or making the directors of the firm rich, but will be helping to fund incredible causes and be a part of the gospel being spread across the world. I think this is an incredible vision that enables us who buy items from the shop, or any of the other businesses, be a part of a global mission and all we do is simply buy the same things but just from a different shop! I will post again soon and let you know what the money so far is accomplishing. It will blow your mind!


Your Part:
Come and use us when we open! There is already a cafe, furniture showroom, bathroom showroom and plumbing merchants that you can use, and the money goes to the same use. In terms of the bookshop, benefit from the resources and materials in the shop, knowing that, not only do you benefit, but many people will benefit from your purchase. The proposed opening date is October 1st, I will keep you up to date.