Spring Harvest

Well it's seems an age away when we were at Spring Harvest, we were there 2 weeks ago now, very odd, but had a fantastic time.

Was really ready for the break, I felt pretty drained in every way so needed some input, it was fab, didn't get much of a break in terms of rest but the other bits of me felt suitably refreshed. The speaker was Jeff Lucas and he was fantastic and very funny, but he was speaking on the life of the church in Acts and being a real church which is something I am very passionate about, not a moaning one but a real one, how seeing the very difference in our lives being the work of God and not something that we have conjured up through anything we can do.
God does not allow us to stay as we are, but works in us to perfect and hone us for his glory, that doesn't mean bad stuff doesn't happen or that we should pretend it hasn't but that in it and through it God can accomplish unmeasurable things and be glorified. If we could do it by ourselves what would be the need for Him as our Saviour.
He spoke a little of the joy of the Lord and how real joy is not a smile for Sundays but a hope for 7 days a week, something intangible which wells up within us not because the circumstances deserve it but because God deserves our praise and worship for Him in our lives.
I know its basic stuff and really things I already know but listening to it afresh was like hearing it for the first time,