Thoughts From Just Another Passer By

How do you come to terms with some things? I just finished a course and placement with the Royal Army Chaplaincy Department. I'm really saddened that my placement have come to an end. Some things shocked me though and I think mostly just through sheer ignorance and not enough understanding or connection with the Army. The average age of the people I met in the training regiment where between the age of my brother (17) and myself (19) although some were younger, and some were inevitably older. The infantry regiment I had the pleasure to spend some time with would be the rough age range of the younger end here at Cliff College. 18 to to 22, although again some were older.  However, the average age of a Chaplain, I think was more late 30's mostly within the 40's though. There are only 5 female chaplains within the RAChD, of about 150 Chaplains in total. Out of the infantry group that went on a recent tour, if I remember correctly lost five men on their tour. One of th...

I wrote this poem whilst on camp, and one of the leaders and the boys turned into a song. I have the copy with the chords on kinda but as I don't understand chords.... Flames of the Spirit, burn my soul Cleanse my heart, make me whole. You've taken my burden Carried me far Come O Lord set me on fire Fill me with your Holy Desire Water of the Spirit, carry my soul Clean my heart, make me whole. Washing away my burden Carrying me far Come O  Lord Wash me a new Give me more desire for you Wind of the Spirit, blow on my soul Bless my heart, make me whole Blown away my burden with me till a far Come O Lord breathe on me Make my desire you to seek Loving Lord and Spirit, you have me soul Yours is my heart making me whole Gone are my burdens You are with me Come O lord, Come O Lord I ask: be my desire forever more.

Its not the end point the journey? Its not the its the end point? Its never the start! We race towards the goal, but we walk along a narrow path. We all started somewhere. Start fragment. End together. Journey... still being undertaken. People please bare with me, we all started at different places all on different paths going to one goal. My map might not read the same as yours.

When they say all is lost That all things are gone When they say there is no hope No way to go on Don’t give in Don’t give up It may not be long till life looks up Take a cheery smile And a cuppa tea Then ask the Lord A way for you to see Remember if ever in doubt And you feel like water without trout Turn around a short distance Get in a spin There I shall be There once more we are dancing To the rhythm To the song And there we are dancing Dancing along

What a journey we are on. In the second chapter of Acts we encounter these verses:  The Fellowship of the Believers   42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.  45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.  46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. When starting Cliff College this was one of the first bible passages we read as a community. For me their are two key points which link directly (kinda) to my life at Cliff College. Firstly "All the believers were t...

I've spent most of my day listening to the words of this song You won't relent Until You have it all My heart is Yours I'll set You as a seal upon my heart As a seal upon my arm For there is love that is as strong as death Jealousy demanding as the grave And many waters cannot quench this love Come be the fire inside of me Come be the flame upon my heart Come be the fire inside of me Until You and I are one It really does make a great prayer.  It is my prayer today. It is such a simple song with so much impact and meaning and truth in its words. It's reminder of what God requires and wish from me, what I wish to give to him, the command and the reasons of what power he holds on me, through the death of his Son. I lay my heart before the Lord and ask his Spirit to live within me, his flame, his passion, his love, until I return home.

I keep looking at these photos. These moments and memories, Caught, captured, still. Lively and beautiful,  Crazy and sad. They tell a story, One that no one else can know fully Glimpses of individuals, Journeys, paths, parties. Celebrations of a moment. I keep looking at these photos.