Toward

 

So last week I was at a leadership conference for 3 days in the lovely setting of the Culloden Hotel. We didn't get to stay or use the spa or anything, but it was still good! Johnny Parks was taking the course so it was interesting to see him in a different light and without a guitar. Wasn't it??!!

It's always good to write down what you learnt after such an intense time, and it normally takes a while to reflect and digest everything, but honestly, my head is still fried. If anything I got to understand myself a bit better, why I react the way I do or behave the way I do. I'll say this tho - "I did NOT find myself" - never understood that statement. So there is no such thing as a problem....

What did I learn? I learnt that I actually exist. Might sound strange but it was an eye opener. I learnt that if someone criticises me or doesn't like me(which is quite often!) that rather than try to change their opinion, I just fuel their opinion of me by throwing the head up and maybe try to annoy them more. Now that was a revelation, cos it don't make sense, but I continue to do it.

So what do I want? I want people to like me. And what is the intention of people liking me? Well i want to be appreciated. And what would that get you? I suppose that would get me purpose and meaning in my life. And what's the purpose of you having purpose?

OK so I'm making a mockery but I use humour as a defense system...

We also looked at neuro linguistic programming model of communication, sensory acuity, rapport, cause and effect, parts integration, timeline, values, creating an achievable outcome and metaphors - all in 3 days! My head is pickled!

What I really enjoyed was meeting other people. When you go through something as intense as this you bond more quickly with people. So I worked with Dave Hines from City Church and Angus form CFC; Kelly and Sean from Woolsworth; Mags and Leeangh; Clare and Louise from YMCA; Christina; and Mims and Steve from YFC. A great bunch and I wish them all well. Just ragin I didn't have my cmaera to get a photo ot them, even tho I did have my camera but didn't know that I had my camera...

One more thing and i know this is a generalisation and that I am deleting and distorting some information.... I found that the Christians on the course were mainly driven by guilt andhad a really bad opinion on themselves - myself included. So we want to be a really good witness but what we say and what we do or don't do, but infact what would really speak to people is if we vlaued ourselves and seen ourselves how God views us -

dearly loved children

We are so caught up in selling Christianity and making hte gospel attractive that we have missed the good news that God takes and transforms lives for the better. I wonder do people want to be a Christian because of the way that I am living my life; because of the way I view myself and others or do people want to become a Christian so they can get a ticket for heaven or do people not even think about becoming a Christian....?