Off to Newday

I don't like camping but I do love Jesus, and so I'm off to Newday.

Despite my (entirely reasonable, credit crunch or no credit crunch) hatred of camping, I would not miss this event for the world. This is the fifth Newday and each one has its own memories, the most vivid of which remains the first because of the record-breaking amount of rain (left) that God poured down on us as part of a prophetic promise about what He was going to do through Newday. The following years have been testimony to God's faithfulness. It remains awe-inspiring, when I think and pray about it, that God has chosen to involve us in His plans in this way.

Apart from the camping, the event involves meetings with worship and teaching, outreach into nearby Derby, and loads of fun social stuff as well. It is for young people aged 12-19 and every year I have seen God impact thousands of lives. Take last year. One evening I saw a lad I know weeping as the Holy Spirit touched his heart. He went to university the next month on fire for God and God's mission, and will be at Newday this year helping to lead the youth group from the church he joined whilst at Uni!

My responsibility at the event is to organise the Ministry Team: these are the people who pray and talk with young people who respond at meetings, helping to confirm and continue what God has done. With nearly 600 people signed up to serve in this way, it's a pretty enormous logistical exercise. Organising things isn't my greatest strength but I love serving Newday, and a great team by God's grace are now ready to go.

God's hand is all over this event and I love being part of it - it's the only thing I will camp for!