(1) Who or what do I pray for? (Where are my prayerful energies spent?)
I spend a lot of time in prayer, praying for the situations i find myself in and how i can resolve problems. I try to encourage my girls to have the relationship with God and be able to spend time in prayer with him and to talk about all sorts of things such as friends, events around them. My youngest encourages prayer as she takes your hand and initiates the lords prayer which is important, its important for us to be able to prayer as we were taught.
(2) How am I an embodiment of blessing in my everyday faith and life? How sacrificial am I?
I give up a lot of things and time , sometimes i feel really annoyed that i live how i do, but... i wouldn't change a thing!! I hope that i show others that we are taught to love all the people around us no matter how different we are. In life i open my house to youngsters who have experienced loss, grief and abuse. I hope that i help them to recover and that its ok to be themselves. I hope that i show Gods love for all people through the fostering work that I do.
(3) How involved am I in the edges and margins of Church life and everyday society?
In church and in society i am involved by working with the youth, children and those with additional needs to be able to access services and understand what is happening around them. I hope that i encourage them to feel that they are valued within our church. I talk with my social worker about faith, she is a lady with a deep faith herself (catholic) and I found recently she said a prayer in front of myself that i will find time to fit everything in, including finishing this course!! I used to be scared sharing my faith but now finding that i am getting more comfortable telling folks that i have a strong faith.
(4) In what ways is my worship a reflection of heaven and an offering for the world?
I'm an avid kitchen and car worshipper!! I listen to ucb and i have a partner of no faith, yet we have had some interesting conversation about the bible and what things mean. I'm not sure I'm answering this correctly. I find that i love it when my non verbal child gets you to sing lord of the dance with her and she bounces in delight. My offering to the world is there is joy no matter what your disability is.
1) How does an understanding of the ministry of the church help to shape individual vocation?
ministry isn't reserved for the building!! i firmly believe in reaching out to others around us , may that be through assisting food bank, running to cash and carry to get foods, through the children i care for and those professionals i meet on my journey.
I believe that we are all given different gifts and that when we work together its better, as you need a left hand and a right hand to hold and move a box
(2) What personal experience do you have of church either enabling or restricting your sense of vocation?
I feel that at times i am restricted by as i would like to complete the readers course, but my pathway has been changed but there's hope it could still redirect itself, but i can still make a difference. I get annoyed sometimes by the fact that after 45 years i became unmasked and my dyspraxia came through and i couldn't keep up with the group.
on the other hand i am enabled by John as i can use my strengths and can support others coming into the church, we recently have had the joy of other foster carers coming in to support a youngster and i have been able to connect and give them moral support.
Very encouraged by the work you do with people "on the margins" or disadvantaged. My understanding of God is that God is on the side of the poor and dispossessed - something that doesn’t often come through though in my life or in church. So good for you!