Good day!
We're just home from a week of immensity! Apart from the obvious bant and craic which we had at Alton Towers, Pleasure Beach, Abseiling, Gorge Walking and the general Camp antics.... we played Worship every night alongside Mark Hawthorne's (the speaker) talks. In my opinion we played really well and, for me anyway, I really did feel like I was worshipping through playing. I know people throw that term about loosely but I do actually mean it. Playing in a presbyterian church every week, with many boring songs playing quietly with hot rods really makes you value the moments when you can play properly like I did at Camp.
It was really good to see what it felt like to be out of the crowd when there was worship and know that you were part of leading them in it. Seeing people lift their hands to God and bow down in surrender was heart warming and really made me feel like we were doing a good job in leading these people in worship.
Each person brought their own something to each night. Rhianna and her class singing voice, Smyth and his sweet chord playing, Dave's subtle bass playing which would have left us with the missing piece and Paul's enthusiasm and passion.
It was a really good set of our first gigs. Many more to come hopefully!
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Ben and Paul's Testimony
Hey guys, since none of the other band members have registered to this yet. I thought we'd add Paul and I's testimony for the meantime...
Paul's Testimony
Ok here it goes lol. This is a pretty long story but it may be interesting to some people and I believe that it's just one of the millions of testimonies throughout the world that shows our God is on the move!
As you can see from the bit of background information my family seem to be pretty cool, which they are 100%. My mum is actually the best mum in the World and I get on the best with the rest of my family so everything is well. They have always stuck beside me in life and encouraged me to do good stuff etc. and there has been many times when many families would have just left a kid like me alone which will be explained shortly. I pray and have faith that one day they will walk in the path of Jesus and become saved, someday!!!
I don't really know how to start this off so I'm just going to get stuck in and I'll probably blabber a bit and stuff but sure lol. My whole life I have believed in God and up until around three years ago I thought God was brilliant although I had never gave my life to him as I was scared of the things I would give up such as friends etc. I went to a local Christian youth club (High Street) every Saturday night which I enjoyed and I even went along to Manifest one time with some friends. Davy Beckett was speaking that night and it really touched me, I even stood upto give my life to God but when I seen that none of my mates stood up I sat back down, I suppose you can say that I got scared about loosing them and stuff and at the time I thought that a reputation was everything.
Then on the 7th May 2005 my friend was killed by a bunch of people the same age as him for his religion. As a result of my friend being killed I turned my back on God and thought that everything bad which has happened is because of Him and if He is so mighty then why didn't he do anything to stop Michael from dying or worse things such as the Holocaust. I just couldn't get my head around all of this, even though I believed in God I was so angry inside and just felt like He was the easiest option to blame it on. After this happened I still went to the youth club but things had changed, the main reason I went was to argue my point with the Christians who went there (by the way they are AMAZING people as you will see). I didn't want to learn about God and even if they told me about the amazing things God can and does do I would just turn my back and not listen to them, just being a stubborn child. I just didn't believe in their explanations or want to listen to them.
After about 2 months of this I decided to leave the youth club which wasn't a good move either. I started to drink quite a lot, maybe two or three times a week I would get 'blocked'. I then started fighting quite a lot over stupid reasons and when I was drunk I would just snap with people which was pointless. Ended up fighting 90% of the time I was out and then it built up a reputation within Antrim for being a guy who fights. At the time I loved this reputation and thought it was great people looking upto me for being able to fight an people even being scared of me. Sometimes I would even end up fighting with bouncers and stuff just for them doing their job, and when I was in my gang of people I thought it was great, I was untouchable.
I was enjoying this life and thought it was brilliant, everything was going well for me I though because I had my friends behind me and I thought thats all I needed. Then it all came crashing down. In October of last year I was fighting at a sale event held in the town which eventually I got arrested for and had to stay in a cell for the night and the police took my DNA, finger prints etc. After I was released I didn't think there would be a very big outcome of this. The week after I got a phone call from the police saying that I had been caught stealing hair gel from one of the local chemists so I had to go and sort things out for that. In the end for these two offenses I received two cautions and I was only 17 at the time. I thought everything was over at this stage then one week later I received another phone call again from the police saying that the following Monday I would be arrested for a burglary which I had committed in February 2007. I thought the whole weekend of what this could be then it came to me that the around this date me and some friends robbed the high street Christian youth club which I had previously attended for around a year. To do this we had to smash the window and I punched the glass through so it cut me. I then thought harder about it and realised that I never cleaned the blood up and so the DNA which the police gained from the fighting incident could have been linked to the burglary. So the next Monday I went down to the police station where they arrested me and it was for the burglary I thought of. At first I denied being present but then I realised that I was only digging myself into a deeper whole and eventually I confessed. It was at this point when I felt any guilt for the crime I had committed and thought about what a stupid boy I had been. As a punishment I attended a youth conference set up by the youth prosecution and had to do the following:
* 6 weeks voluntary work in high street youth club
* Pay £200 for the damages
* Make a public apology to the leaders who volunteer to work there
* Write a letter of apology
From the above you can see that I got off very lightly, much to lightly in fact. I believe that God had hi hand upon me at this point at that he was just positioning me for a fabulous turn around that was going to occur within my life within the next 6 weeks. Realisticly I should have got so much more punishment, I walked out of there without a permanent criminal record, how amazing is it that God can even bend the law, just shows that in fact He is the true ruler of this World and he deserves all the worship which He gets and soooooo much more.
At first I was nervous about attending the youth club because in my town I had been well known for fighting etc. so everyone sees me as someone who pushes people around etc. therefore I thought I would be frowned upon. However this was not the case, everyone welcomed me with open arms including the youths who attend the youth club. Then on the fourth week into the punishment I started to really enjoy myself and the company which was there was fantastic. There is a group of people aged 18-20 who help out at the youth club and I got on really well with them. On the 31st May I sat in my friends house and he tuned into the Florida Healing Outpouring.I was amazed by this and what was going on, I had never seen anything like it, God using a man covered in tattoos to heal people, save 1000s etc. Then on the Wednesday 4th June 2008 I was in my house and felt to myself I want what they have, I had never experienced a friendship like it even after all what I had done they made me feel at home and they had a huge hunger for God. I started to realise that it wasn't God's fault for the death of Michael and then I text my friend D.C saying I want to become a Christian can you tell me how to do it and he said basically what you do is ask Jesus to come into your heart and repent of all your sins. So at 22:05 that night I kneeled down on my bedroom floor and said a prayer to God asking for forgiveness and asking Him to come into my life. Right away I felt like a huge weight had lifted from my shoulders and that I had been forgived for my sins. The following Saturday I asked friends pray with me and I had great feeling, the Holly Spirit had touched me, it felt amazing, I had never experienced anything like this before. The fire in my stomach was great and I fell three times within around 10minutes of praying. I also gained my tongues that night and thought it was crazy although soon after I realised it is a gift from God.
That is basically how I became a Christian. Theres more detail which could be said about it all and the things that God has done for me. I continue to worship God and have grown more hungry for Him and want to do great things for His Kingdom. OUR GOD IS AWESOME! If there is any people out there reading this I reassure you that there is a God and he's great. He does great things. God might not always walk close beside you but He is always there to pull you through the storm and He won't leave you alone. Pray Until Something Happens!!!
Also to people young or old who are going through the reputation I went through, you will regret it seriously. At the minute I'm trying to take away that reputation and want people to see me as a nice person who they can talk to when I walk past in the street and it is a hard job to change people's first impressions but I pray that one day people in my town will forgive me for what I've done to them. Just have a think about it, do you honestly want to be grown up with kids and be out for a drink when someone taps you on the shoulder and you turn around to see someone you had trouble with when you were 17? Even if you don't want that life, it still isn't going to stop the angry person from wanting to hit you. Now is the time for change, I have experienced it so why can't anyone else? I pray that God can do the same for you as He has done for me.
Thanks for taking the time out to read this, It's been great to be able to talk to you about the greatness of OUR God.
God Bless
P.M
Ben's Testimony
So here goes...
I grew up in a normal family, in a typical home. Mum, Dad and younger brother. For 16/17 years of my life I lived in Garden Village, a small estate next to Ballycraigy. Ballycraigy is a loyalist estate and in the past was known for paramilitary activities and such, but less now. So, I got into a couple of scraps, but nothing big. Just typical childish fights over football or something. I went to Antrim Primary School, then went to Antrim Grammar. I didn't do drugs, sleep around, drink, party, fight... so my testimony has lost its interest already then? Though my family, and extended family and all my friends I knew didn't know God, and nor did I.
But, I started to go to First Antrim Youth Club. From the outset I loved it. And it was there I met class people, the leaders and new mates who I grew to be really close with. I then ended up goin to the Youth Club Camp at Kinsale, I loved it too. I hated to talks and God stuff that they did. It was all really boring to me. The rest of my mates became 'Christians' but I didn't fall for it all. None of which are Christians now, but I pray that that seed will grow!
Then I went to Camp again, this time in Torquay. I was in a tent with the assistant minister, Michael Davidson, who once again did boring talks (well to me anyway, at that time). But on the last night he gave wee leaflets to the rest of the guys in the tent but to me I was given a brand new youth bible. I was surprised and thankful that I got this gift. I think it was because I had a King James Bible with me which smelt like my attic.
The next year at Camp I went again to Kinsale. This time Victor Cort (R.E. teacher at AGS) was the speaker. He opened up Christianity in a really new way which I had never seen. He was great craic and I really got on well with him. Christianity was really opened up to me then.
I continued to go to Camp every year and still go to this day. Every year the seed grew and grew. But it was after one camp that I became a Christian. I don't actually know what year it was. May have been my 4th or 5th year. I think it was th 5th, but I do remember saying to my friends I was a Christian. So I said I was a Christian but didn't really take it seriously until about one to two years ago. From then on my life has never been the same.
Through the same Youth Club which planted the seeds I found my calling and purpose. And now I hope to a degree in Youth Work at Jordanstown. Through the same Youth Club I attended the church, and as of February this year I've layed drums in the praise band every Sunday night. God has provided me with a class girlfriend and amazing friends. Both hold me accountable, encourage me, help me, make time for me, care for me and give me a glimpse of God in everything they do. Without them I probably would have given up on God.
God has also given me a future, a purpose, he's provided for me financially and has loved me and guided me since my mum and dad got it on!
I have given him my life, but it never seems to be enough. I wish I could give him something more. I'd give him the best Fathers Day present I could get my hands on. But God doesn't need a mug or slippers.
He's my everything, my joy, the source of my happiness. And now I write this with a smile on my face I look back on an amazing Summer. I sit on a mountain top, and it's because of Jesus. And I know I'll soon lay down in the valley where I may feel distant from the one I feel so close too. But I know in those moments Jesus will walk beside me there too.
It really is kinda crazy.... but then again, it just might work.
Paul's Testimony
Ok here it goes lol. This is a pretty long story but it may be interesting to some people and I believe that it's just one of the millions of testimonies throughout the world that shows our God is on the move!
As you can see from the bit of background information my family seem to be pretty cool, which they are 100%. My mum is actually the best mum in the World and I get on the best with the rest of my family so everything is well. They have always stuck beside me in life and encouraged me to do good stuff etc. and there has been many times when many families would have just left a kid like me alone which will be explained shortly. I pray and have faith that one day they will walk in the path of Jesus and become saved, someday!!!
I don't really know how to start this off so I'm just going to get stuck in and I'll probably blabber a bit and stuff but sure lol. My whole life I have believed in God and up until around three years ago I thought God was brilliant although I had never gave my life to him as I was scared of the things I would give up such as friends etc. I went to a local Christian youth club (High Street) every Saturday night which I enjoyed and I even went along to Manifest one time with some friends. Davy Beckett was speaking that night and it really touched me, I even stood upto give my life to God but when I seen that none of my mates stood up I sat back down, I suppose you can say that I got scared about loosing them and stuff and at the time I thought that a reputation was everything.
Then on the 7th May 2005 my friend was killed by a bunch of people the same age as him for his religion. As a result of my friend being killed I turned my back on God and thought that everything bad which has happened is because of Him and if He is so mighty then why didn't he do anything to stop Michael from dying or worse things such as the Holocaust. I just couldn't get my head around all of this, even though I believed in God I was so angry inside and just felt like He was the easiest option to blame it on. After this happened I still went to the youth club but things had changed, the main reason I went was to argue my point with the Christians who went there (by the way they are AMAZING people as you will see). I didn't want to learn about God and even if they told me about the amazing things God can and does do I would just turn my back and not listen to them, just being a stubborn child. I just didn't believe in their explanations or want to listen to them.
After about 2 months of this I decided to leave the youth club which wasn't a good move either. I started to drink quite a lot, maybe two or three times a week I would get 'blocked'. I then started fighting quite a lot over stupid reasons and when I was drunk I would just snap with people which was pointless. Ended up fighting 90% of the time I was out and then it built up a reputation within Antrim for being a guy who fights. At the time I loved this reputation and thought it was great people looking upto me for being able to fight an people even being scared of me. Sometimes I would even end up fighting with bouncers and stuff just for them doing their job, and when I was in my gang of people I thought it was great, I was untouchable.
I was enjoying this life and thought it was brilliant, everything was going well for me I though because I had my friends behind me and I thought thats all I needed. Then it all came crashing down. In October of last year I was fighting at a sale event held in the town which eventually I got arrested for and had to stay in a cell for the night and the police took my DNA, finger prints etc. After I was released I didn't think there would be a very big outcome of this. The week after I got a phone call from the police saying that I had been caught stealing hair gel from one of the local chemists so I had to go and sort things out for that. In the end for these two offenses I received two cautions and I was only 17 at the time. I thought everything was over at this stage then one week later I received another phone call again from the police saying that the following Monday I would be arrested for a burglary which I had committed in February 2007. I thought the whole weekend of what this could be then it came to me that the around this date me and some friends robbed the high street Christian youth club which I had previously attended for around a year. To do this we had to smash the window and I punched the glass through so it cut me. I then thought harder about it and realised that I never cleaned the blood up and so the DNA which the police gained from the fighting incident could have been linked to the burglary. So the next Monday I went down to the police station where they arrested me and it was for the burglary I thought of. At first I denied being present but then I realised that I was only digging myself into a deeper whole and eventually I confessed. It was at this point when I felt any guilt for the crime I had committed and thought about what a stupid boy I had been. As a punishment I attended a youth conference set up by the youth prosecution and had to do the following:
* 6 weeks voluntary work in high street youth club
* Pay £200 for the damages
* Make a public apology to the leaders who volunteer to work there
* Write a letter of apology
From the above you can see that I got off very lightly, much to lightly in fact. I believe that God had hi hand upon me at this point at that he was just positioning me for a fabulous turn around that was going to occur within my life within the next 6 weeks. Realisticly I should have got so much more punishment, I walked out of there without a permanent criminal record, how amazing is it that God can even bend the law, just shows that in fact He is the true ruler of this World and he deserves all the worship which He gets and soooooo much more.
At first I was nervous about attending the youth club because in my town I had been well known for fighting etc. so everyone sees me as someone who pushes people around etc. therefore I thought I would be frowned upon. However this was not the case, everyone welcomed me with open arms including the youths who attend the youth club. Then on the fourth week into the punishment I started to really enjoy myself and the company which was there was fantastic. There is a group of people aged 18-20 who help out at the youth club and I got on really well with them. On the 31st May I sat in my friends house and he tuned into the Florida Healing Outpouring.I was amazed by this and what was going on, I had never seen anything like it, God using a man covered in tattoos to heal people, save 1000s etc. Then on the Wednesday 4th June 2008 I was in my house and felt to myself I want what they have, I had never experienced a friendship like it even after all what I had done they made me feel at home and they had a huge hunger for God. I started to realise that it wasn't God's fault for the death of Michael and then I text my friend D.C saying I want to become a Christian can you tell me how to do it and he said basically what you do is ask Jesus to come into your heart and repent of all your sins. So at 22:05 that night I kneeled down on my bedroom floor and said a prayer to God asking for forgiveness and asking Him to come into my life. Right away I felt like a huge weight had lifted from my shoulders and that I had been forgived for my sins. The following Saturday I asked friends pray with me and I had great feeling, the Holly Spirit had touched me, it felt amazing, I had never experienced anything like this before. The fire in my stomach was great and I fell three times within around 10minutes of praying. I also gained my tongues that night and thought it was crazy although soon after I realised it is a gift from God.
That is basically how I became a Christian. Theres more detail which could be said about it all and the things that God has done for me. I continue to worship God and have grown more hungry for Him and want to do great things for His Kingdom. OUR GOD IS AWESOME! If there is any people out there reading this I reassure you that there is a God and he's great. He does great things. God might not always walk close beside you but He is always there to pull you through the storm and He won't leave you alone. Pray Until Something Happens!!!
Also to people young or old who are going through the reputation I went through, you will regret it seriously. At the minute I'm trying to take away that reputation and want people to see me as a nice person who they can talk to when I walk past in the street and it is a hard job to change people's first impressions but I pray that one day people in my town will forgive me for what I've done to them. Just have a think about it, do you honestly want to be grown up with kids and be out for a drink when someone taps you on the shoulder and you turn around to see someone you had trouble with when you were 17? Even if you don't want that life, it still isn't going to stop the angry person from wanting to hit you. Now is the time for change, I have experienced it so why can't anyone else? I pray that God can do the same for you as He has done for me.
Thanks for taking the time out to read this, It's been great to be able to talk to you about the greatness of OUR God.
God Bless
P.M
Ben's Testimony
So here goes...
I grew up in a normal family, in a typical home. Mum, Dad and younger brother. For 16/17 years of my life I lived in Garden Village, a small estate next to Ballycraigy. Ballycraigy is a loyalist estate and in the past was known for paramilitary activities and such, but less now. So, I got into a couple of scraps, but nothing big. Just typical childish fights over football or something. I went to Antrim Primary School, then went to Antrim Grammar. I didn't do drugs, sleep around, drink, party, fight... so my testimony has lost its interest already then? Though my family, and extended family and all my friends I knew didn't know God, and nor did I.
But, I started to go to First Antrim Youth Club. From the outset I loved it. And it was there I met class people, the leaders and new mates who I grew to be really close with. I then ended up goin to the Youth Club Camp at Kinsale, I loved it too. I hated to talks and God stuff that they did. It was all really boring to me. The rest of my mates became 'Christians' but I didn't fall for it all. None of which are Christians now, but I pray that that seed will grow!
Then I went to Camp again, this time in Torquay. I was in a tent with the assistant minister, Michael Davidson, who once again did boring talks (well to me anyway, at that time). But on the last night he gave wee leaflets to the rest of the guys in the tent but to me I was given a brand new youth bible. I was surprised and thankful that I got this gift. I think it was because I had a King James Bible with me which smelt like my attic.
The next year at Camp I went again to Kinsale. This time Victor Cort (R.E. teacher at AGS) was the speaker. He opened up Christianity in a really new way which I had never seen. He was great craic and I really got on well with him. Christianity was really opened up to me then.
I continued to go to Camp every year and still go to this day. Every year the seed grew and grew. But it was after one camp that I became a Christian. I don't actually know what year it was. May have been my 4th or 5th year. I think it was th 5th, but I do remember saying to my friends I was a Christian. So I said I was a Christian but didn't really take it seriously until about one to two years ago. From then on my life has never been the same.
Through the same Youth Club which planted the seeds I found my calling and purpose. And now I hope to a degree in Youth Work at Jordanstown. Through the same Youth Club I attended the church, and as of February this year I've layed drums in the praise band every Sunday night. God has provided me with a class girlfriend and amazing friends. Both hold me accountable, encourage me, help me, make time for me, care for me and give me a glimpse of God in everything they do. Without them I probably would have given up on God.
God has also given me a future, a purpose, he's provided for me financially and has loved me and guided me since my mum and dad got it on!
I have given him my life, but it never seems to be enough. I wish I could give him something more. I'd give him the best Fathers Day present I could get my hands on. But God doesn't need a mug or slippers.
He's my everything, my joy, the source of my happiness. And now I write this with a smile on my face I look back on an amazing Summer. I sit on a mountain top, and it's because of Jesus. And I know I'll soon lay down in the valley where I may feel distant from the one I feel so close too. But I know in those moments Jesus will walk beside me there too.
It really is kinda crazy.... but then again, it just might work.
Monday, 11 August 2008
Paul here...
Hey, Paul here...just a bit on Jim's Flat. Well as the introduction says, we are five vagabonds from Antrim who have formed the band as a bit of banter. Things have started going suprisingly well though and we get a good bit of practise done with everyone being pretty good on the things they do along with a SERIOUS amount of craic in between lol.
To-day we found out that Ben the drummer is coming to High Street camp which is going to be amazing. Originally it was going to be Dave, Smythy, Rhianna and I leading worship which doesn't count as a Jim's Flat debut but now Ben has stopped holding us to ransome and gave in to coming our officially debut will be on Monday 18th, those who are going to be there are going to have a brilliant time.
By Ben going it also gives us the opportunity to play a wider range of songs which would have been hard without a drummer. So Ben I have to give you a bit of gratitude for that, don't be getting to big headed now lol, the Glory goes to God don't forget!
More improtantly about the first gig is to worship God though, so that the young people on the camp get a real feel for God and His Holly Spirit so that it moves within them through the music which we will be playing. All of the Glory will go to God and we thank Him for giving us the ability to do it.
Just want yous all to prayer for us that everything goes well. As Ben said we are all a bit nervous but practice has been going well and it is guaranteed to be a laugh and something we will remember so I'm glad we are getting the opportunity to do it.
Thanks a lot, God Bless
To-day we found out that Ben the drummer is coming to High Street camp which is going to be amazing. Originally it was going to be Dave, Smythy, Rhianna and I leading worship which doesn't count as a Jim's Flat debut but now Ben has stopped holding us to ransome and gave in to coming our officially debut will be on Monday 18th, those who are going to be there are going to have a brilliant time.
By Ben going it also gives us the opportunity to play a wider range of songs which would have been hard without a drummer. So Ben I have to give you a bit of gratitude for that, don't be getting to big headed now lol, the Glory goes to God don't forget!
More improtantly about the first gig is to worship God though, so that the young people on the camp get a real feel for God and His Holly Spirit so that it moves within them through the music which we will be playing. All of the Glory will go to God and we thank Him for giving us the ability to do it.
Just want yous all to prayer for us that everything goes well. As Ben said we are all a bit nervous but practice has been going well and it is guaranteed to be a laugh and something we will remember so I'm glad we are getting the opportunity to do it.
Thanks a lot, God Bless
HighStreet Youth Club Camp 08 - The Build Up
I'm really excited to join the band at the Youth Club camp. Originally I wasn't attending, but now it seems I am! Therefore, Camp will be the debut of the band, after only one to two months... so I'm a bit nervous.
I know the rest of the band is excited too, about Camp. But especially the worship. We're excited to lead young people in worship and see God in move in amazing ways.
We pray and hope that we would be able to play as relaxed and well as we do in practice but sure... if we don't, it'll be funny and good banter anyway.
So whoever reads this very short first post, please pray for us!
Cheers,
Ben, the drummer.
I know the rest of the band is excited too, about Camp. But especially the worship. We're excited to lead young people in worship and see God in move in amazing ways.
We pray and hope that we would be able to play as relaxed and well as we do in practice but sure... if we don't, it'll be funny and good banter anyway.
So whoever reads this very short first post, please pray for us!
Cheers,
Ben, the drummer.
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