It's the end of our world as we know it - and I feel fine!

What a superb end to beach mission! We were thoroughly blessed by many exciting, unexpected and thought provoking experiences. This year was the highest number of salvations I have known in the past 10 years, including many children and young people. There was even a Perran Bay Care Home resident who gave her life to Jesus. One teenager who had been attending GAP, said the prayer asking Jesus into his life on a surf board, floating in the ocean just off Perranporth beach. How wonderful to be part of God's mighty creation and to experience His awesome power as He crashes the waves to the shore and shows Himself as Saviour of the lost all in one breath. We certainly can testify that the harvest was ready to reap this year. We pray for the churches in Perranporth to be ready to receive these young, new believers and to disciple them into the next stage of the journey with their Lord and Father. To be part of the right church community will be crucial for these new followers of Jesus, so if you're reading this in Perranporth consider if God is calling you to put out a hand of friendship and fellowship to these new recruits for the kingdom of heaven.

The Grand Finale on Friday evening, in the marquee came far too quickly for me. Chris and the show team did a wonderful job including a magic trick, showing how we're made clean only by Jesus. The singing and dancing was other worldly.  It was great for the parents and guardians to see what the Minis, Minors, Majors and GAP had been up to these last two weeks. The GAP video was awe inspiring, with God really effecting the young people with  new revelations of Himself. I've never heard GAP attendees speak so  earnestly about the truths they had learned of our heavenly Father. They all went away changed and again I would ask you to pray that other Christians will gather round and support these young people in the next phase of their journeys; that they will not think they were just caught up in something that happened at 360, but that it will be real in their lives always, from now and on into the year ahead. Please pray that the church youth teams will be ready to support those who attended GAP and all the young people's groups, who are hungry for finding out more about God's character and how that can effect their lives for the better. When we were saying our goodbyes we were reminded to tell the young people that Jesus stays, even though us as team do not.

My final prayer request must be for James and Emma, the mission leaders. They really did give their all this year and both were emptied out completely by the end of the mission. I ask that God would protect them as He gets them back to full physical and spiritual strength. We are not short of stories, having been part of beach mission this year,  that declare Christ as King on earth and in heaven. May they draw on these stories, to be built up as they go back to 'normal' life in their church and may God give them a new realisation of what it is to rest fully in Him.

Thanks for reading my blogs this year and for praying God's heart for the mission. We saw amazing things that will never leave us as a team. I look forward to what God has planned for the mission next year and for us a family, leaving the fold to pastures new. May God's blessing be with you all.

Tuesday's musings

We've had another full day today. This afternoon a swing band, pro-skaters and a swing dance troupe came over from Creationfest to spend some time on the Inner Green. They mixed with us and the locals bringing a huge amount of joy to everyone they spoke to and came into contact with.

Missed this sunset as I was heading in the opposite direction

Last night I picked up a girl from Exeter airport, who was making her way to beach mission but sadly missed her connecting flight. She should have gone from Dusseldorf to Newquay, but ended up going to Manchester then down from there. The poor love was going to spend the night in the airport then get a bus or a train to Perranporth the following morning. We decided this wouldn't do and set out on the three hour return journey to retrieve her. We were back by midnight only to discover that her baggage had not traveled with her so she was now in a foreign country, with no luggage and no idea what she was doing here having had such a traumatic journey. Yet this absolute hero was prepared to lay aside her fears and believe that God had a plan for her and not matter what, she had to come to Perranporth. I have no idea what God will do with her and we may not find out until we get to heaven as to what God's purpose was for her being here, but I am so excited that I got to be a part of her journey to God's mission field. Please pray that God will use her mightily while she is here, that she will listen to His still small voice and do amazing things in His name.

Interestingly, today has been a day of many young people choosing to turn to Jesus. The team have been incredibly proactive, listening to God's prompting and having intentional conversations with those they have built friendships with. They have prayed with these new friends and have asked Jesus to come into their life. You cannot get a more awesome day than that. Please be praying for these new followers of Jesus, that they will connect with other Christians in Perranporth and begin a love-filled journey with their Lord and Saviour.

After a tiring start, I can see the day has turned out astonishingly well. I have learnt a lot about the Father's heart especially when this morning I had the absolute privilege of walking a resident of Perran Bay Care Home around the village and the boating lake. The lady I was pushing used to be a live and work in Perranporth and lots of people were calling out their hellos to her. Sheila* hadn't been able to get out for a while and I watched her as she shook her hair to get the full feeling of the sun and wind on her face and neck. It made me think of the freedom I take for granted, that I don't have to wait until someone else has the time to take me, not just out somewhere nice, but outside - what sort of person would I turn into if I was indoors for the majority of the time? Boy would I be grateful that I know a Father who loves me, who longs for me to spend as much time with Him as possible, deepening my relationship with Him and getting to know Him better. We are so fortunate that we are not abandoned, even when we feel at our loneliest, we are wrapped in His everlasting arms.

*name changed for anonymity purposes

Blog number 3 - a day or two late, but not a pound short

Well it's been a fantastic end to the week! Friday evening found us 'strollin' and 'rollin' around the outskirts of the beach, through the sand dunes, ending up on the Inner Green for hot dogs and hot chocolate. There were loads of families in attendance. The team were kept really busy, attempting to keep up with the children charging, unreservedly through the dunes. The young people could not have appeared freer, running through the grass and wild flowers. It was amazing to watch. Such a picture of the freedom and restoration God gives us to soar on the wings like eagles.

This weekend has been a real rest and we've enjoyed having fun as a team as well as spending time with God and getting right with Him. The importance of fixing our eyes on Him has been a strong message we've all felt. We had the privilege of visiting many of the local churches and we have all felt blessed by the experience. We went as a team up to the sundial last night and had a time of worship and prayer. It was so great to sing God's praises as the huge powerful waves lapped the shore. The tangible presence of God was evident to us all - I didn't want to leave.

And so we get ready, with eager anticipation, for our final week on God's mission in Perranporth. For us as a family, this will be our last visit for a while (I pray not forever), and we are so excited to see what our Heavenly Father will do through the team, through our prayers, through our boldness and trust in His Name - after all we are not peddling a lie - as we were reminded in Devotions only last night - the evidence for Jesus life, death and resurrection exists. Please Father, put us in front of the people, young and old, who you want to hear your truth, who you want to be in relationship with. Thank you for all the fun we're having, thank you that you love to give good gifts to your sons and daughters and may we never take that for granted. And all God's people said 'Amen'!

Sand sculptures

The winning entry!

Tide Fight

Anywhere you go - you always take the weather with you!

Fun on the beach for the Team's evening off

Still having a smashing (or should I say splashing!) time on beach mission. We have been hounded by rain today and yet we have seen around 80 children and young people. Some of us also visited Perran Bay Care Home and shared Holy Communion with them. It was lovely to chat and hear a wealth of stories from folk who have been around quite a lot longer than us. It was a privilege to be welcomed in and to have the opportunity to share some time with the occupants. I even saw a lady who last year we met and had sang 'Wide, wide as the ocean' with. We were told she was in her final days and she had requested this song and some people to sing it to her. You can imagine how surprised I was to find her sitting in the sun lounge, a whole lot better, surrounded by her family and full of the joys of life. We are looking forward to spending more time in the care home next week, so please pray we might have some great opportunities to talk to the carers and the cared-for about Jesus' love for them all.

Yesterday saw the return of 'Don't Forget Your Towel' - an afternoon of wet games where the only rule is that no-one goes home dry - even me (I unfortunately found out)! The children had a great time playing some organised wet activities in teams and then thoroughly drowned all the leaders at the end with the left over water. Thankfully all phones remained dry and everyone enjoyed the fun.
This morning Chris N and team gave another brilliant show, explaining the story of Moses and the burning bush. They were reminded that God speaks to us, just as we can speak to Him and God will go to whatever methods He deems necessary to make sure we hear and understand the message He has for us. What a great message for the children to hear!

As I write, the 'Family Quiz Night' is taking place. Please pray that the event was a success and many fruitful conversations were had with the individuals who attended. The sun has finally made an appearance and is shining brightly on me as I type the blog. God feels so close right now. The sun's rays remind me how God's love touches all things, in Perranporth, in people's homes, even inside the Memorial Hall where the quiz is taking place. His love isn't just for me, it's for everyone. Thank you Jesus!

It's all too much for some of us!

It's started - I'm so excited and I just can't hide it!

So it has begun and what an amazing start - we saw around 100 children this morning taking part in the Morning Celebration then onto groups Minis, Minors, Major and GAP. The whole team got thoroughly stuck in welcoming parents and children and showing them to the registration tables.

New this year is the wonderful Chris Newman up front who I'm sure has an anointing in children's entertainment. He jollied, cajoled and astounded the young audience who were in good voice and had them eating out of the palm of his hand, with his use of puppets, great songs and a number of performers in cameo roles. The children rolled around the tarpaulin with laughter, thoroughly enthused with one of the many stories involving Moses and God's faithfulness. Please pray that Chris' show will be 100% of Jesus and will continue to be well received. He has worked very hard on the script before he came to beach mission and God is blessing his creativity and the children are hearing God's message for them in a most exciting way.

We have a very enthusiastic team who are really getting stuck in. They are caring for the children brilliantly and it is so beautiful to see them getting down to the children's level, playing games and telling them about Jesus. We pray that the children will be receptive to the message the team are sharing and that the team will not hold back in speaking Jesus name.

This afternoon was 360 Olympics. The children (and Team) had a great time showing off their skills and bonding with each other over a tennis ball or two. The atmosphere was very exciting and the Inner Green had a full on feel of competitiveness. It was so encouraging to see the children having fun with their leaders and developing relationships in readiness for 'nitty-gritty' which will take place in the morning session.

Tonight sees the return of 'Epic Explorers' - a treasure hunt style game for the whole family, where teams will be required to complete a challenge, solve a riddle to gain access to the location of the next challenge and riddle. There's no prizes for this one, just the satisfaction of finding all eight leaders and getting back to the Inner Green. We hope this kind of activity will encourage families to talk about what the children have been doing in their morning groups and for us as team to start building  relationships of trust with the families attending 360 beach mission. God bless us in our passion, to see all who live,work or pass through Perranporth, know and love Jesus.