#yfcone

So here’s an update of my past couple of weeks:

Returning back to Trafford after the holidays/YFC conf has been so smooth - a much better start compared to September in terms of stress! I’m so glad that YFC conference didn’t just excite me but God truly used it to refresh, re-focus and impassion me. Around this time last year I would have been returning to school, wrought with nerves and fear over ensuring I performed the best academically possible in my mock exams and filled with dread about the next 5 months of gruelling self-pressure. I’m stunned a year later that the Spirit has transformed me and blessed me with work I cannot wait to get back to. Work that satisfies, challenges, stuns and encourages me. I haven’t felt this confident and joyful about my future before - I’m so thankful to the Lord right now!! (I’m also very thankful for the snow we had in Partington last week - it was so pretty and FUN!)

On another good note: I sent off my UCAS university application well in advance of the deadline and I’m at complete peace about it all. For those who don’t know: I’ve applied to university to do theology & religion (yes, I changed my degree choice from biology!) so that I have the option of going, but I’m holding out for God to show me where He wants me next year, whether that’s a second gap year, university or something completely different!

The picture of Big Ben above is from when Roberto & I joined the southern YFC One hub training session in London last Tuesday. (We are normally in the northern hub in Birmingham.) I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with the group, plus a day in my fave city is always a day well spent! It also has to be said that our first class experience on the Virgin fast train into London was incredible - free breakfast, unlimited hot beverages and leg room a-plenty to name a few highlights.

In terms of actual youthwork, in Partington we are starting several new activities for the young people. Therefore, I would totally appreciate your prayers for our teenage girl home group (called Girls’ Night In), year 8 girls’ session (called 3:15) and Saturday morning coffee shop chat group, which have all been started after Christmas. As for my work with TYFC, I’m really eager to get back into local schoolswork and planning the big events we have coming up. Again, please pray into these - we have a quiz night & auction fundraiser (Sat 6th Feb) and a youth trip to Alton Towers (Sat 19th March).

Finally, I’ve just today returned from this terms YFC One worship residential. This is my second one so far and they have definitely been among the most significant experiences during my gap year. I love learning with this group of leaders, pursuing God & His kingdom and enjoying very competitive (sometimes violent) games of Irish snap!

Last week was our Youth For Christ conference - a great time with the wider British and International YFC family. It was full of seminars, competitive card games and exploring the fresh YFC vision with the new National Director, Neil O’Boyle.

I loved going through the theme of ‘contemporary holiness’, particularly in the morning sessions when we had Krish Kandiah unpack Ephesians. He offered such an insight on how we can be relevantly interacting with our youth, whilst remaining set apart for God.

Sorry for my long silence! I've had an afternoon off today so here’s a quick update of what I’ve been up to recently:

We’ve just finished 2 teaching weeks at Wellington School, where we’ve been giving 3 different lessons on suffering, friendship and fact/faith/belief to the years 7, 8 & 9. This has been our third school we’ve taught at so far & I’ve found I really enjoy leading a different style of lesson for the students about great, engaging topics. In fact, last week we had a young boy ask about whether God could compete with what science was saying about the ‘big bang’ theory. We were able to let him (and the rest of the class) know what our thoughts were, and he seemed really receptive. This just reminded me how exciting it is that schools are giving us this platform to teach from and the things we teach can have such an impact!

In terms of my work with People’s Church, we’re planning a free, Christmas fun day for local families to enjoy and it's going to be a right treat! Real reindeer, craft markets, a Frozen world - I’m really hoping as many of the community as possible will come to have a great afternoon out with us.

Hopefully that’s given you a small flavour about what’s happening with me at the moment. Enjoy your weekend!

Hannah x